Correspondence by Dan Alexe // European defense discussed in Paris and Strasbourg
A meeting of the military chiefs from European countries willing to send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine is scheduled for Tuesday, March 11, in Paris, at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron. The meeting will focus on the potential future deployment of European forces in Ukraine. These troops are intended not to engage in frontline combat but to ensure the full respect of a peace agreement once it is reached. Notably, the meeting will also include representatives from the UK, which, although no longer part of the EU, remains the second nuclear power on the European continent.
A British government official announced on Thursday that the UK had engaged in talks with approximately 20 countries interested in forming a "coalition of the willing" to contribute to a peacekeeping contingent in Ukraine, contingent on a ceasefire agreement with Russia. However, Moscow has rejected the idea of deploying European troops in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, in Strasbourg, the European Parliament is discussing a resolution concerning the future of European defense in light of the anticipated withdrawal of the American protective umbrella, as indicated by former President Donald Trump.
The Republic of Moldova is explicitly mentioned in the working documents of the Parliament in Strasbourg. These documents state that "the strategic environments in which many EU Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) missions are present are deteriorating, given Russia's ongoing war of aggression in Ukraine and its spillover effects in Moldova and the South Caucasus, along with a wave of coups in the Sahel region and renewed terrorist activities in Somalia and Mozambique."
A gradual approach to European security is being proposed, aimed at creating a credible deterrent capacity for member states and ensuring that civilian and military personnel can respond rapidly to the increasing threat environment.
We remind you that neither the Republic of Moldova nor Ukraine is directly included in the various strategic plans that have been analyzed for establishing a robust European defense system.
Despite this, the EU is set to provide Ukraine with €30.6 billion by 2025 through an EU mechanism known as the Ukraine Facility. Future funding will likely come from the Rearm Europe plan, which is an initiative by Ursula von der Leyen.
Simultaneously, around thirty European chiefs of staff and representatives from other nations, including Australia, convene in Paris to discuss security guarantees to be offered to Kiev. This initiative aims to establish a well-organized international peacekeeping force that would be accepted by both parties.
Since Donald Trump's election, France and the EU have been evaluating various options for a possible deployment of peacekeeping troops in Ukraine. The unsettling realization brought about by Trump's rapprochement with Vladimir Putin, along with his decision to withdraw U.S. security support for Europe, has expedited this process. Consequently, all EU and NATO countries have been invited to Paris, except for the United States, to demonstrate that Europeans are taking responsibility for their own security.
