Worrisome Statements About the Future of a Militarized Europe

Sign for a No vote in June 1, 2022 referendum on whether to end Denmark's non-participation in European defence. The Yes vote won, reversing the policy.

While Denmark has reversed its policy on non-participation in European Union defence affairs, member states of the EU are "ready to take European defence innovation to the next level, in cooperation with the European Commission but also with NATO," Jiri Sedivy, chief executive for the European Defence Agency (EDA), said at the EU's first "Defence Innovation Day." Josep Borrell, head of the EDA, who is supposed to be a diplomat, has already declared that only a military solution is an option for Ukraine.

Like NATO, the EU does not have its own armed forces. NATO member countries decide whether and how many of their own forces to send into U.S./NATO-provoked conflicts. Establishing such an army for the EU could well be the "next level," while also serving to possibly contend with U.S. dictate and military command over Europe. It is also aimed at current U.S./NATO efforts to weaken Russia.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov responded to this at a news conference following a visit to Saudi Arabia.

"There really is such a strong Russophobic wing in the European Union, which for many years effectively imposed its position on everyone else, exploiting the principle of solidarity and consensus," he said. This wing, "is now stepping up its activity," Lavrov said.

"Borrell's statements, despite the impropriety of the belligerent words coming from the mouth of the top diplomat of the European Union, reflect the trend that an aggressive minority is imposing on the entire European Union," Lavrov said. The ideal for this minority is "a militarized European Union as an appendage of NATO," he said.

Lavrov also described German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's statements about Germany's intention to become the main EU military force as evidence of resurgent "dominant aspirations" in the country.

"We have taken note of the statement by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz who stated that Germany would become the main military force in the European Union," Lavrov said. "I have already read feedback by observers who said they were seriously bewildered that such statements were made by the German leader."

"This evokes some thoughts because this is far from being the sole evidence of the resurgence of dominant aspirations in Germany," Russia's Foreign Minister said. Such statements "must be heard by other EU members and must become a subject of a serious talk," he said. He said what is called for is "talk about how Europe will develop further and how it will continue to draw lessons from its hard history of past centuries."

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This article was published in

Volume 52 Number 6 - June 5, 2022

Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/Tmlm2022/Articles/M5200614.HTM

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