Baerbock lets slip: Billions for Ukraine after the election
he EU is apparently putting together a multi-billion dollar package to buy military equipment for Ukraine. Bloomberg reports: "European officials are working on a new, sweeping package to increase defense spending and support Kiev as President Donald Trump pushes for a quick end tothe war in Ukraine." Apparently, EU circles know that this is a sensitive plan.
Bloomberg: "The spending plans will not be announced until after the German election on February 23 to avoid controversy before the vote, according to officials briefed on the plans." A select group of EU leaders were invited to Paris on Monday to begin drafting their response after US officials said in clear terms that the US wants Europeans to take action.
But Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock rushed ahead and gave an insight into the scale. Baerbock hinted that it could be about 700 billion euros: "We will launch a large package that has never been seen on this scale before," Baerbock said in an interview with Bloomberg on the sidelines of the Munich meeting. "Similar to the euro or the corona crisis, there is now a financial package for security in Europe. That will come in the near future."
Speaking on Bloomberg Television on Monday, Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene said the "realization that it is not the United States that will defend Europe, but that Europe will defend itself with the help of the United States" would dramatically change the security situation on the continent. "We need to spend quickly on defense, and spend a lot, hundreds of billions need to be spent immediately," she said. "We will all need to act quickly, including Germany."
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the European proposal would focus on military training, speeding up aid efforts, arms deliveries and what Europe could offer in terms of security guarantees.
In a statement on the situation, Baerbock says that peace will only come through strength: "This requires tough and long-term security guarantees for Ukraine, a strong NATO and progress in Ukraine's accession negotiations to the European Union. As Europeans, as Germans, we stand firmly by Ukraine's side - with military, humanitarian and financial support.
Since the Russian invasion, we Europeans have supported Ukraine with a total of over 134 billion euros, Germany alone with almost 44 billion euros." Europe's strength "is based, despite all our differences, on our unity. We are going from Paris to Munich together with determination and determination."
Finally, Baerbock promises to invest more money in armaments and military equipment: "As Europeans, we will bear more responsibility for our own security. Because in view of the existential threat, a great joint effort is needed to secure our peace and prosperity.
With Corona, we saw what Europe is capable of. Investments are needed again that are appropriate to the historic milestone we are facing. No more - but certainly no less."
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and EU Commission President Irsula von der Leyen also leave no doubt that the answer to Donald Trump is more money for armaments:
"If we Europeans do not spend a lot of money on defense now, we will be forced to spend ten times more if we cannot prevent a major war," Tusk said on X. Upon her arrival in Paris, von der Leyen struck a similar tone, writing on X that "we need a mentality of urgency" and a "strengthening of defense" and "we need both now."
The EU states are not yet in full agreement on ground troops: Poland rejects the deployment of its own soldiers, while Great Britain and Sweden have signalled their willingness to do so. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said that German soldiers would be an option if the framework was right.
As with Corona, a new billion-euro package should be financed through joint debt if possible. Ideas like this have long been discussed. The problem: many EU countries are now experiencing payment difficulties due to the billions in Corona aid. They have to restructure their budgets, which usually only comes at the expense of social benefits.
On the European bond markets, yields for European government bonds rose on Monday, including those on German government bonds. This means that investors see it as riskier to invest in European countries.
