Russian aggression has effectively forced EU to form defense alliance, says MEP

Fabienne Keller, a Member of the European Parliament who is part of the Renew Europe group, spoke about this in an interview with Ukrinform.

Keller said that, thanks to strong political mobilization, Europe’s defense had been put in place within days after Russia launched its war against Ukraine in late February 2022. He added that joint capabilities had emerged, there were no longer any neutral countries, everyone was increasing defense budgets, and coordination was taking place. Keller said that, in the face of this extraordinary situation, the EU had managed to respond and practically build this defense alliance.

According to her, after World War II, peace in Europe was considered a given and guaranteed, but Russia’s attack on Ukraine put an end to that belief.

The MEP emphasized that the magic and extraordinary nature of the European project lay in the fact that it had ensured peace for more than 80 years. However, that had come to an end. He said that Russia had attacked Ukraine, a neighboring country that was set to join the European Union, and therefore security had once again become a priority.

Keller recalled that after the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community, the next integration project was supposed to be the European Defense Community. However, the relevant treaty was never ratified.

She also highlighted the work of French President Emmanuel Macron within the Coalition of the Willing, which extends beyond the European Union and brings together, in particular, the United Kingdom, Canada, and other partners of Ukraine.

As reported, the European Parliament approved amendments as part of the Omnibus V package that will allow the European Defense Fund to finance the testing of defense projects in Ukraine and will also accelerate defense investments and procurement within the EU.

Photo: European Parliament