European Union President Ursula von der Leyen affirmed Europe's continued support during a visit to Ukraine Thursday and confirmed the nation's pathway to EU membership remains on track.
“Ukraine's accession process is on track,” according to von der Leyen's Twitter account. “In the meantime, we are deepening cooperation,” she stated. The EU chief's meeting with President Zelenskyy marked her third visit to the war-torn nation since Russia's February 24 attack, the Associated Press reported.
Clad in Ukraine's colors of blue and gold, von der Leyen proudly received the First Class of the Order of Yaroslav the Wise as a symbol of the two nations' “strong bond.” Discussed during the two leaders' visits was the prospect of Ukraine's membership in the EU. The bloc of 27 nations agreed in June to place Ukraine on an accelerated path toward membership, in an assumed effort to weaken Russian influence on the east European nation. The process can take years or more, but the EU chief reaffirmed commitment to the expectation for Ukraine's membership in her most recent visit. Zelenskyy, for his part, made public his appeal for Ukraine to join the European single market sooner rather than later and ahead of a formal membership decision.
Ukraine's more immediate need for “fast recovery, winter preparedness and planning reconstruction” also dominated Thursday's meetings. The EU has set aside 150 million euros to help find shelter for internally displaced Ukrainians, the leader's Twitter account stated.
The former German defense minister, however, does not find full support from fellow Germans when it comes to supporting Ukraine's war efforts. The EU powerhouse's three-party government faces disunity over the contested delivery of tanks to Ukraine, the AP reported Thursday. One week following a major Ukrainian counteroffensive that reclaimed a large swatch of territory from Russian troops, Kyiv waits for the German Leopard-2 tanks it requested. Two of Germany's three parties in power advocate for supplying Ukraine with heavy weapons.
As Ukraine celebrated its wins of the last week, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz insists that the supply of heavy weapons eastward must be coordinated with NATO and EU allies, The Washington Post reported. Germany would be the first of NATO and EU partners to send western-made tanks to Ukraine. Economy Minister and Greens party member, Robert Habeck stated he expected Germany to send more of the “right weapons” to Ukraine. “Disappointing signals from Germany while Ukraine needs Leopards and Marders now — to liberate people and save them from genocide,” Ukraine's foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted in response to German reticence. “What is Berlin afraid of that Kyiv is not?”
Europe promises to stand by Ukraine's side, through weapons, money and potentially deepened economic ties. But can (or should) Europe fight Ukraine's war? And to what extent should it risk its involvement? If Kyiv wins its war, it will be through the lethal coupling of Ukrainian grit and the deep, deep pockets of Western nations.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.
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Let Ukraine join NATO
Once the nutty Putin starts using his “tactical” nukes it won’t make any difference, NATO will respond in kind against Russia, then WWIII will most likely be the result.
I agree with you. The danger of tactical nukes are a definite possibility.
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