Europe is blocking President Trump in seven ways. NATO recently joined this pursuit

There increased engagement of with individual European actors European Union since the Russia-Ukraine War of Delays in the US aid package To Kiev. In this regard, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg recently said: was suggested Generate 100 billion euros It provided military funding to Ukraine and offered to coordinate military aid to Ukraine as well.

These are radical departures from NATO’s role in the Ukraine war.,Until now limited to provide Provide non-lethal assistance for fear of escalation.NATO will also become more directly involved in the occupation. operational responsibilities It is intended to coordinate military aid provided by member countries, and until now military aid has been led by the United States. ukraine Ramstein Defense Liaison Group. A coalition of more than 50 countries responsible for providing 99 percent of all military aid. Kyiv.

The proposal comes months before the NATO summit in Washington in July, where the alliance’s key priorities will be discussed to mark its 75th anniversary.th anniversary.

All these developments suggest that Finally NATO too Prevent President Trump from moving forward in Europe This is to ensure that the continued uncertainty caused by the US presidential election does not become a visible obstacle. So far, the alliance has avoided direct aid to Ukraine.money to Ukraine receives funding from individual member states, not from NATO’s budget. In light of this new proposal, Member States will need to discuss different mechanisms and will also need to focus on the question of whether individual bilateral aid should be included in the total.

Also read: The EU’s real problem is not war fatigue.lacks a grand strategy

7 areas to fight against President Trump

of The latest anti-Trump effort by NATO complements at least six other efforts in various areas of the European theater.

One is the final decision. Separate security agreement with Ukraine. After United match kingdom, Finland becomes the eighth NATO member state, following France and Germany. concluded It signed a nearly identical long-term (at least 10 years) security treaty with Ukraine, promising financial support, military aid, and defense-industrial cooperation. Although it goes both ways. Security agreement with Ukraine completed At the 2023 NATO Vilnius Summit, Ukraine’s NATO dream It’s not even close at all.

2 In 2023, The EU has promised to produce 1 million 155mm shells by spring. this year.Behind schedule and facing real-time issues in The EU is coordinating its defense industry and appears confident of delivering 1.5 million shells by the end of 2024. Huge defense industries across the continent are expanding and returning to producing artillery.

The lack of ammunition It marks a major change in Kiev’s war tactics. With less ammunition to fire on the battlefield, Ukraine is attacking deep into Russian territory, targeting its own logistics and hydrocarbon reserves.

four, Ukrainian attacks on Russian naval capabilities in the Black Sea region have also increased in scale and frequency. However, the delay in increasing ammunition became a drawback. defense of ukraine A slow retreat is progressing on that front. danger The collapse of the front line is increasing day by day.

threeThis is an introduction. Czech-led initiative against purchasing ammunition from outside the EU. More than 15 countries have raised approximately €1.8 billion as part of this initiative. was was suggested by the Czech President petr pavel At the Munich Security Conference in February 2024. He found 500,000 of his 155 mm shells and 300,000 of his 122 mm shells from the Soviet era outside Europe. with Purchase completed, Shipping is reportedly Get used to it It was delivered to Ukraine this month.

fourrelease of The first in the EU defense industrial strategy (EDIS) In March 2024. this strategic state A clear long-term vision to achieve defense industry readiness in the EU by coordinating Member States’ investments.are doing research and buildare doing Defense supply chains will become more resilient. Under this initiative, the EU: Defense Innovation Office In Kyiv. The goals set by 2030 include roughly 40% collective purchasing of defense equipment; products made In Europe, at least 35 percent of defense equipment is traded at intra-EU level.

For a bloc with a cutting-edge, globally-focused defense industry, this could mean an overhaul of sorts. What EDIS does right is create regulations at the same time. European Defense Industry Program (EDIP) and begin implementing the concrete measures identified in the EDIS.success of of The EU’s long-term plans to support Ukraine by revitalizing its defense industrial base depend on how well EDIS and EDIP can work together.

Five, The EU is considering: avoid ban treaties This is to buy Ukrainian military equipment.of EU treaty clause Article 41(2) stops the EU common budget from financing military purchases. Until now, the process by which the bloc secured military aid to Ukraine was itself quite historic, but it was through extra-budgetary means. european peace facility (EPF), which one Article 41(2) was circumvented. moreover, The EPF remains a cumbersome process, requiring new negotiations with its 27 member states each time it needs to be replenished.

what is happening today Brussels Discussions are taking place between the EU Legal Affairs Department, which is bullish on this proposal, and the EU Legal Affairs Bureau over the legal interpretation of Article 41(2). european committee attorney who I’m conservative about that. The committee proposed the establishment of a joint legal working group to investigate this issue.

Six, setting of of Facility in Ukraine. In February 2024, with the Council of the European Union. parliament agreed on a new support mechanism called Ukraine facility (UF) has committed $50 billion under a new single dedicated instrument to support Ukraine’s reconstruction and modernization, as well as its path to EU membership. UF works as follows. three pillars it includes Reconstruction and modernization plans, investment framework in the form of budget guarantees through Subsidies, loans, member support measures, etc.

Also read: Ukraine’s foreign minister’s visit to India opens the door for Delhi to shape post-war Europe

Stopping President Trump is a difficult road

At the optical level, this of The West is sending the following signals to Russia: It is Don’t let Moscow outlast Kiev’s allies.The reality is clouded by a lot of rhetoric, but European aid is for ukraine I’m standing today upon these Seven interrelated industries. Not all are equally effective or successful, but taken together they make a convincing case for European efforts to protect their interests. the safety.

However, at home, these initiatives and their implementation require the consent of all member states. inside EU and NATO.All member states are with Russia upon Supporting Ukraine. There are undeniable factors in Hungary and its own relations with Moscow and China that, while not at the cost of losing NATO or EU membership, are enough to slow down the process for Hungary. make A quick decision for Ukraine.

There will be upcoming elections in the EU, and Budapest will hold the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU. From June to December 2024, which may adversely affect the execution of these plans. The lack of coordination between major European powers such as Germany and France, which still fail to fulfill NATO’s basic commitments, also remains unreassuring.

The author is an Associate Fellow at the European and Eurasian Center at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defense Research and Analysis. She tweets @swasrao. Views are personal.

(Edited by Humra Raek)

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