Europe must strengthen its defense capabilities and move to a “war economy” mode in response to the threat from Russia, European Council President Charles Michel said on Monday.
In an article published in European newspapers and on the Euractiv website, Michel – who will chair a meeting of EU leaders on Thursday to discuss support for Ukraine – said Europe must take responsibility for its own security and not rely too much on support from Ukraine. countries like the United States.
“If we do not give the right response from the EU and do not give Ukraine enough support to stop Russia, we will be next. Therefore, we must be ready to defend ourselves and move to a ‘war economy’ mode, ” Michel said.
“If we want peace, we must prepare for war,” he said.
Michel said that while Europe has made progress since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 – including increasing military production capacity by 50% – much more is needed and that for decades Europe has failed to invest much in your safety and defense.
Michel called on EU countries to ensure that Ukraine gets what it needs for the battlefield, including spending EU money on military equipment and using profits from Russia’s frozen assets to buy weapons for Ukraine.
EU countries approved a deal on Monday to increase European Union support for Ukraine’s armed forces by 5 billion euros – amid warnings that Kiev’s forces need more resources to hold the line against the more powerful army. big in Russia, while a $60 billion aid package for Ukraine is stalled in the US Congress.
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
