German Green Party MP Anton Hofreiter has criticized the outcome of the European Ukraine summit in Paris. The outcome of the crisis meeting is disappointing and now massive investment in the “defence” of European states is necessary, he stated in an interview with the Funke media group:
“What the European leadership needs now is a large investment offensive, with which the Ukraine can be further supported and the EU’s defence capabilities can be improved quickly and efficiently.”
The Bavarian MP, who chairs the EU Committee of the German Bundestag, is convinced that only a massive buildup of EU and NATO member states can prevent the war from spreading in Europe:
“To achieve this, a 500 billion euro defence fund is needed to support Ukraine and for joint arms procurement in the EU. Only then can we prevent further war in Europe.”
Hofreiter said that the big speeches about European strength and unity were not followed by concrete steps.
According to press reports, the European states were unable to agree on the establishment of a peacekeeping force to secure a potential ceasefire in Ukraine during the Paris summit. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had described the discussions as frustrating and completely premature, as reported by the Welt newspaper. Scholz also criticized the fact that, in his opinion, the outcomes of potential peace talks were being discussed over the heads of the Ukrainians, while the talks had not even taken place yet.
The European state and government leaders had sought a common line at the Paris crisis summit on how to react to President Trump’s break with the previous Ukraine-Russia policy of the Biden administration. The new US administration is focusing on negotiations with Moscow to end the proxy war in Ukraine as quickly as possible. If the Europeans want to continue the confrontation with Russia, they will be on their own.
On the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (also of the Green Party) had previously mentioned a sum of around 700 billion euros that should be invested in European defence. These European plans are reportedly to be made public only after the upcoming German federal elections (as reported by RT DE). The figure of 500 billion euros mentioned by Anton Hofreiter may thus mark the lower end of what Brussels is likely to demand from EU member states.