The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, has announced the need for EU countries to switch to a "war economy" mode due to the threat to the European continent from Russia. According to him, Europe is facing "the most serious security challenge since the Second World War" and Ukraine should be provided with everything it needs. He wrote about this in his op-ed for Delfi, reports UNN.
Two years after the war began, it is clear that Russia will not stop in Ukraine, just as it did not stop in Crimea ten years ago. russia poses a serious military threat to our European continent and to global security. If we do not give the EU a proper response and provide Ukraine with sufficient support to stop Russia, we will be next
According to him, Europe should be prepared for self-defense and switch to a "war economy" mode. Michel said that since the beginning of the war, the European defense industry has increased its production capacity by 50%, and by the end of next year European ammunition production will increase to more than 2 million shells a year. However, this year Russia will spend 6% of its GDP on defense, while the EU on average spends less than NATO - 2% of GDP.
"Meanwhile, across the European continent, Kremlin propaganda is trying to convince our citizens that the war in Ukraine does not concern us, that it wastes our budgets and divides us. This is a blatant lie. We must do more to help Ukraine and strengthen our European defense. We need to be able to speak the language of strength, not just diplomacy," Michel said.
He pointed out that Europe is facing "the most serious security challenge since World War II" and Ukraine should be provided with everything it needs on the battlefield.
Ukrainian troops urgently need bullets, missiles and air defense systems to keep the skies under control. We must use the European budget to purchase military equipment for Ukraine and use the proceeds from the freezing of Russian assets to purchase weapons for Ukraine
He also pointed out that the EU should consider expanding the mandate of the European Investment Bank and adapting its lending policy to do more to support the European defense industry, for example by changing the definition of dual-use goods.
The struggle requires strong leadership - mobilizing our people, businesses and governments to bring a new idea of security and defense to the entire European continent. If we want peace, we must prepare for war