cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/5816495
Russia should “curb” the size of its army and military budget in order to ensure a lasting peace in Ukraine, said the EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, adding that Western leaders should not fall into the “trap” of discussing restrictions on Kyiv’s army during peace talks with Moscow.
Kallas’ comments come after US President Donald Trump ramped up pressure on Brussels and Kyiv over the past week to end the war on terms that many regard as favourable to Moscow – including by potentially limiting the size of Kyiv’s military.
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The former Estonian prime minister added that current peace plans overwhelmingly seek “concessions” from Kyiv but not from Moscow, and warned that the Kremlin’s soaring military expenditure – expected to reach 7.2% of the country’s annual GDP this year – poses a “threat to us all”.
“We have always said that it’s a sovereign right for every country to decide the size of the military, and that’s why we shouldn’t walk into that trap that Russia is setting, talking about capping [the] Ukrainian army,” Kallas said. “I mean, Ukraine has never attacked Russia.”
Her latter remarks were echoed earlier on Wednesday morning by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
“As a sovereign nation, there can be no limitations on Ukraine’s armed forces that would leave the country vulnerable to future attacks,” von der Leyen told the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
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Must and will are two different things
I mean that would be better for everyone involved, but the EU doesn’t have the balls to make it happen.
Good idea, how to enforce?
Sanctions.
Correct. No matter how much noise Russia makes about the sanctions not affecting them, they desparately want them gone. They’ve been able to weather them better than originally predicted, but only by mortgaging today to pay for tomorrow. Their economy is starting to show serious strain. Investment is basically zeroed out, consumer spending is collapsing and they have a workforce shortage. It’s getting dire.
Ah, and USA’s and Chinas too.
It would be amazing, imagine what we could do if that money was dumped into space or technical research?
she’s so incredibly based.
Rather than a cap on Russia’s military, Russia should just be broken up.
What could possibly go wrong?
I commented about this yesterday.
I currently don’t see Ukraine getting out of the war with her borders intact, as it stands now I don’t see a way for Ukraine to retake Crimea, I also doubt that Donbas will fully be liberated again.
As long as there is no restriction put on the size and capability of Ukraine’s military forces in the eventual peace treaty, it should be treated as a win.
This is not fair, it is war.
I respectfully disagree.
The only chance for a ‘just’ and lasting peace in Ukraine and Europe is a a complete defeat of Putin’s Russia. Everything else doesn’t end the war but will extend it.
Russia must leave the whole of Ukraine.
I think you’re both right as your stated opinions views are not diametrically opposed. I suspect the original commenter was not commenting to an utopian dream of a just peace, here. Their comment seems to be addressing realpolitik. The super power in the region and the current hegemonic super power in the world are aligned… and so is the new world super power, China when it comes to it. With that background, both Europe and Ukraine will loose and will have to accept what’s given to them.
I disagree that the EU will have to face reality on this. The EU is definitely strong enough to support Ukraine on its own and kick Russia out; the problem is the lack of political will and, frankly, spine. I mean the fact that there are still new sanctions coming says everything that needs to be said.
This is correct, as I am looking at the situation right now, I don’t see a realistic way for Ukraine to kick out Russia from their land completely, unless something big happens, I believe we are looking forward to a negotiated peace.
As a Swede, who gladly supports all aid packages with supplies, weapons and materiel we send, I wan’t nothing more than for Ukraine to kick Russia to the curb, but I don’t see that happening.
I’d rather prepare for a bad negotiated peace, if ever so short, and be surprised by Ukraine succeeding, than the opposite.
I fully agree, but we are talking about two different things.
I said that currently I don’t see an end to the war that doesn’t include Ukraine having to give up land.
That is all that I said, I actually forgot to add what I wrote in a comment a few days back, where I said that any agreement where Ukraine looses land is bound to lead to a new conflict relatively shortly thereafter.
My earlier comment specifically called out that Ukraine loosing land is unfair.
I truly wish that Ukraine can muster the strength to kick Russia out baldy enough that Russia learn their lesson.
I am a Swede and I smile every time we give more aid, weapons and other related materiels to Ukraine, I gladly pay my taxes for this.
At the same time, if I try to look realistically at the conflict, at this point in time I don’t see Ukraine kicking Russia out, it looks more and more as the end of the current conflict will come in the form of a negotiated peace, if only for a relatively short time.
