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Politics

Sánchez: EU defense goes beyond the military

Yesterday 15:08 By: Zahouani Ilham

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Pedro Sánchez, the President of the Spanish Government, arrived at a new European Council summit in Brussels this Thursday, emphasizing the need for Europe to demonstrate a stronger commitment to multilateral discussions, particularly in the context of defense, aid to Ukraine, and the ongoing situation in Gaza. He made it clear that Spain opposes the escalation initiated by Putin and reaffirmed the country's support for Ukraine, including enhancing its military capabilities. Sánchez also emphasized Spain's commitment to strengthening European defense at the EU level.

Sánchez argued that it is crucial for Europe to take a proactive role in peace negotiations, an initiative already proposed by the Finnish government, suggesting the appointment of a representative to speak on behalf of all Europeans at the table. Regarding competitiveness, Sánchez defended his government's economic policies, highlighting the growth projections for Spain and asserting that the ecological and digital transitions should not hinder the competitiveness of Spain or the EU.

Sánchez expressed his disapproval of the term "rearmament," stating that it doesn’t align with Spain's approach. He believes that discussions about improving European defense capabilities should focus on more than just the military aspect, as the EU is also a "soft power." He pointed out that the EU's major challenge is to "grow internally" and "open up further externally," stressing the importance of building stronger trade relations with other regions, such as Mercosur and India. More Europe, he believes, leads to more social policy, better trade relations, and, naturally, enhanced security and defense.

The summit's discussions continue to focus on the present and future of Ukraine, with particular attention to the possibility of a temporary ceasefire to protect energy infrastructure, an agreement made by Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. EU leaders support the French and German position, seeing the ceasefire as an initial step, although Emmanuel Macron insists that it must be "reliable." Europe's approval of prisoner exchanges is also under scrutiny, especially regarding concerns about Russia's actions, particularly in the Baltic region.

Another key topic is the military aid package for Ukraine, known as the Kallas Plan. This proposal advocates for a voluntary fund of up to €40 billion, with member states contributing based on their GDP. Spain’s share would be approximately 8%, or €3 billion, though the government has confirmed that no distribution has been discussed yet, as Spain already contributed €1 billion in bilateral aid. A significant challenge for the EU will be overcoming Hungary's veto to approve the fund.

The debate over the distribution of the aid package remains ongoing, with some countries urging quick action, while others, including Spain and Italy, argue that the issue is still in its early stages. Kallas is prioritizing the delivery of ammunition to Ukraine as a first step before considering a larger financial package. EU sources have indicated that future agreements on Ukraine may exclude Hungary, following a similar approach taken during the March 6 meeting. However, discussions on sending troops to Ukraine remain distant, as there is still no peace agreement in place, and this topic is unlikely to be a primary focus during the summit.