Russia’s aggressive actions and provocations against European countries, their industry and infrastructure, acts of sabotage and military maneuvers near EU borders turn Russia into a direct threat not only to its neighbors, but to the entire European Union.
This was stated by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, who spoke today in Strasbourg during a plenary session of the European Parliament, dedicated to the preparation for the NATO summit in The Hague, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
“Russia is a direct threat to the European Union. Russia is violating our airspace, conducting provocative military maneuvers near EU borders, targeting our trains and planes, attacking our pipelines, undersea fiberoptic cables and electricity grids, assaulting our industry, including companies supporting Ukraine, and is recruiting criminals to carry out sabotage attacks,” Kaja Kallas noted.
She noted that Russia continues to actively build up its own military forces and nuclear arsenals. Last year, Russia spent more on defense than the countries of the entire European Union combined. Already this year, Russia is spending more on defense than on its own healthcare system, education, and social policy.
“This is a long-term plan for a long-term aggression. You don’t spend that much on military if you do not plan to use it. Those who border Russia have always felt Russia’s provocations more, those of us with a history of Soviet imperialism feel it the most. But Russia’s threat to Translantic unity and security is a problem for us all. Every European country and indeed every NATO ally must be thinking about defense,” the EU High Representative emphasized.
She recalled that in 2014, after the start of Russian aggression against Ukraine, NATO countries pledged to invest 2 percent of GDP on defense by 2024. In just one year, the geopolitical situation has changed so dramatically that European countries and NATO members are now considering the possibility of allocating up to 5 percent of GDP on defense.
“Europe’s economic might is unmatched. I don’t believe that there is any threat that we can’t overcome if we act together and with our NATO allies,” Kaja Kallas noted.
She noted that one of the main issues to be considered at the NATO summit in The Hague will be increasing defense spending by allies. The EU is already doing its part, and intends to spend an additional EUR 650 billion on defense over the next four years. This will add a total of 1.5 percent of GDP to the defense budgets of EU member states.
In addition, the EU has adopted an action plan to strengthen the security of Europe, SAFE, which opens up the possibility for member states to obtain loans worth up to EUR 150 billion for defense. This will contribute to building the European defense industrial capacity, ensure long-term predictability of defense orders, and create conditions for joint defense orders in the interests of EU member states.
The SAFE plan, the implementation of which also involves Ukraine, is open to the participation of partner countries. So far, the EU has already concluded seven agreements on such a partnership, including with four NATO allies – Norway, Albania, North Macedonia and the United Kingdom. Another such agreement with Canada will be adopted soon.
“The stronger the EU, the stronger NATO,” the EU High Representative added.
As Ukrinform reported earlier, the NATO summit in The Hague will be held on June 24-25. The leaders of the Alliance will consider three main issues – increasing defense spending, building the capabilities of the defense industry, and continuing support for Ukraine.
Source: Russia posing direct threat to EU – top diplomat Kallas
