"No way back": war in Ukraine turned Europe from peaceful power into a powerful player - NYT

The idea that trade and interdependence are the best guarantees against the war, were deeply in the psyche of Europeans after the Second World War, even in relations with enemy Moscow, but Europe had to wake up and rebuild. The European Union from 27 countries was created with the main idea of ​​expanding peace throughout the continent.

The fact that Putin's Russia became aggressive, imperialist, revenge and cruel, as well as impenetrable for European peace policy, it was almost impossible to perceive in Paris or Berlin even after the annexation of Crimea in 2014, The New York Times wrote on February 26. The mentality of peace, the most acute in Germany, gave way to the realization that military force was needed to guarantee security and achieve strategic goals.

Amnesia's "Amnesia", which went like an autopilot, has intensified to great effort to preserve the freedom in Ukraine, which many perceive on the continent as a synonym for their own. "European politicians who have not been familiar with the thought of rigid power as a tool in foreign policy or geopolitical affairs, but they have passed an accelerated course," said Rem Corteweg, a Dutch defense expert.

Discussions about the size of tomatoes or banana form, acceptable in Europe; The debate continues on which tanks and possibly F-16 fighters provide Kiev. This is the term German Chancellor Olaf Soltz used almost a year ago in his speech, announcing investments in Germany's armed forces of $ 112 billion.

In fact, a historic step for Germany is a country injured by its Nazi past and imbued with internal anti -war sentiment, but this word also applies to a continent where the possibility of nuclear war, no matter how far it may be, no longer belongs to the sphere of science fiction. "Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia," said President Biden last week in Warsaw.

He spoke during the negotiations between China and Russia about his "boundless" partnership, and Putin suspended Russia's participation in the last treaty on the control of weapons between the two largest nuclear powers. "The war has returned Europeans to the foundations, to the issues of war and peace and our values. She asks us: who we are as Europeans," François Delatre said, Ambassador of France to Germany. In the ideology of Russia, Europeans were part of a decadent event devoid of spine.

It was one of several mistakes that prevented the Russian invasion, which, as some suggested, should paralyze Ukraine in a few days. Since the beginning of the war, America has armed Ukraine worth almost $ 30 billion, which has significantly exceeded the European contribution. Without states, Ukraine may not have military means to confront the Russian invasion. This "sober" Europeans.

Now the EU will be engaged in strengthening its troops; The question will be how to regulate the tension between the frontlines that intend to fully defeat the Kremlin and others, such as France and Germany, are prone to compromise; And how to organize the US elections next year, nourishing anxiety about whether Washington will keep their course.

Recall that on February 16, the European Parliament resolved the resolution on the anniversary of a full-scale invasion of Russia into Ukraine and called on EU member states to put Western fighters to Kiev. Meanwhile, on February 26, it became known that the USA, Germany and Poland intend to conduct joint training near Ukraine.