European Union (EU) High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell said on Thursday that Russia “has already lost” the war against Ukraine, though he acknowledged that Kiev “has not yet won”.
“It’s a bloody war, but Russia has already lost this war. Ukraine hasn’t won yet, but Russia has clearly been defeated militarily,” Borrell said at the European summit on defense and security taking place in Brussels today.
The head of European diplomacy stressed that the Russian army was “defeated” because it had failed to capture Kiev “in a few weeks” and because it had failed to capture the city of Bakhmut, in Donetsk province (Eastern -Ukraine). .
The former Spanish minister also called for “care” to avoid “dividing the world between the West and the rest”, because Russia “would be very happy” if it could say that “the rest of the world” are they.
“Many people are not energetic enough in condemning Russia. They voted against Russia in the United Nations, (…) but then I hear that some world leaders are not energetic enough in condemning Russian aggression against Ukraine”, he said.
Referring to those calling for peace in Ukraine, Borrell underlined that he wants that too and that “those who want it most” are the country’s own inhabitants, who are “bombed daily”.
“Don’t tell me you want peace, tell me how you want peace and what kind of peace you want. I know a way to end the war: stop supporting Ukraine,” he said, because “without European support Ukraine cannot defend itself”.
“What do you want? People tell me to stop supporting Ukraine and then negotiations will begin and give way to peace. What do you want? If we stop supporting Ukraine, Russia will win the war, occupy Kiev, turning Ukraine into a second country.” Belarus, we will have Russian troops on the border with Poland, our insecurity will increase and Ukraine will cease to exist,” he warned.
Borrell stressed that what worries him most is the fact that people of left-wing ideology claim that the war is fueled by arms donations to Ukraine.
“I prolong the war (by supporting Kiev) because Ukraine is able to defend itself. They don’t understand that if we stop supporting Ukraine, Ukraine will disappear as a free and independent country,” he insisted.
Borrell stated that the European Union (EU) is “ready for peace negotiations”, but recalled that all leaders who visited Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow returned with the clear idea that the Kremlin leader “has a military purpose”. .
Europe “needs a stronger defense industry,” Borrell said, underlining that while not an admirer of Donald Trump, he acknowledged that the former United States president was “right” to insist that Europeans “don’t have the take their share.” of the burden” on defense.
On the other hand, he said that all countries neighboring Russia “would like to be part of NATO”.
“But Russia is to blame and not NATO,” he stressed.
On the relationship between China and Russia, the head of European diplomacy said that “it has limits”.
“It is a very unbalanced relationship. Russia represents 1% of the world economy. (…) China represents more than 20%”, referred.
Beijing “supports Russia”, he admitted, but assured that this aid “is not military for now”.
“We have to be vigilant and we have no interest in pushing Russia into China’s arms. But I don’t think China is very comfortable with what is happening,” he said, citing Beijing as a somewhat dubious “pro- Russian neutrality”.
Borrell explained that the 27 EU member states have stopped buying Russian gas and that Moscow cannot sell that source of energy to China because “it is too far away”.
“Russia will have a lot of trouble getting the money it used to get from us. China is not a replacement,” he said.
“What’s important is not preventing China from becoming a world power, but rather determining how China will use that power,” he concluded.
The Russian military offensive on Ukrainian territory, launched on February 24 last year, plunged Europe into what is considered the most serious security crisis since World War II (1939-1945).
Source: DN
