Whereas United States under Trump insists that the conflict between Ukraine and Russia is unsustainable and must end, US traditional allies in Europe under EU bloc known for war mongering, are pushing Ukraine’s president to secure sophiscated weapons including long-range missiles to fight Moscow to unforeseeable end.
In addition to the barrage of all colors of sanctions, the EU is moving aggressively with a plan to use frozen Russian assets to fund around €140 billion, loan for Ukraine, though a final decision is pending, with objections from Belgium. As this position is not worrisome enough, EU leaders have insisted that Ukraine must not cede any territory but fight to regain regions currently occupied by Russia, a position unfamiliar with Washington.
Both former USA President, Joe Biden and his successor persistently declined to buy into EU extreme positions hinged not only wanting to send Armies to Ukraine but also use long-range missiles to hit central Moscow. Scared of this radicalism, President Trump unlike his predecessor had initially excluded EU together with Ukraine from peace talks.
While Russia sees itself as a victim of Western sustained cold war fights that did not only destroy USSR but also used Ukraine as a base to undermine interests of kremlin, EU maintains that Russia is an aggressor that started a war unprovoked.
Invading sovereign country is untenable but Europeans lack moral authority to criticize Russia since they have done exactly what Putin did freely and severally without compensating their victims
Following Germany’s defeat in the WW2, the bond between EU and Russia has never been easy, full of hidden wounds and unsettled scores which the current crop of European leaders might want to settle through another world war engagement.
With such hostility, indeed, if European leaders had enough resources, without a need to first consult USA, which remains the single largest military of Ukraine, the world have witnessed another world war but different one in the supporter era of nuclear and drones powered bombers. Recent Information from both EU council and US Department of State indicated that EU member states have spent €63.2bn ($73.4bn) on Ukraine war compared to $67bn over the same period.
Luckily enough the US regime in power seems well aware of the risks embedded in sustaining Europeans position hence the resistance. Recently, after meeting with President Zelensky, the 45th & 47th President of the United States. President Donald J. Trump underscored that the “main priority now is to protect as many lives as possible, guarantee security for Ukraine, and strengthen all of us in Europe.”
The absence of Europeans was notable during a face-to-face summit between Presidents of Russia and USA in Alaska in August, in which Trump’s attempt to convince Putin to agree to a Ceasefire were futile but still optimistic for breakthrough in subsequent dialogues. Energized to dilute Trumps peace initiatives further, they are capitalizing on undesirable outcomes of the meeting to send toxic signal to the world that Putin is not interested in peace, calling for escalation. “Putin is not serious about peace.” UK Prime minister said after meeting Zelensky and European allies last week.
Prioritizing diplomacy in a bid to avoid escalation, President Trump declined to provide long-range Tomahawk missiles and other variety of weapons systems Ukraine wished to obtain leaving European leaders like UK Prime Minister Keir Stammer, vowing never to end military support to Ukraine
With most of the extensive sanctions the bloc imposed on Russia since the beginning of the conflict with Ukraine failing, EU has welcomed Trumps’ sanctions on Russia major oil companies and launched new package (18th) of sanctions as well.
Like previously, these sanctions don’t only affect Russia but the world as the energy prices are likely skyrocket, leaving consumers purchasing power affected as inflations erodes value of currencies.
Therefore, Pushing Russia, a nuclear heavy-weight, against the ‘wall’ is not in the interest of global peace. Like other economic heavy weights of India, China, Brazil, Indonesia and South Africa have suggested, peace and dialogue ought to be fronted in resolving the 3-year old Ukraine conflict.
Andrew Bakoraho Kakura
Researcher and CEO, Safety Watch Initiatives Uganda.
