By Ukraine’s side to the end (and with all the defence it needs). The EU Parliament’s decision pleases, but not the Left

Brussels – “As long as necessary” is the EU’s promise to Ukraine. With the involvement of China and North Korea, escalation is just around the corner, and the Europarliament, in its Strasbourg plenary, reiterated its support for Kyiv.

From the resolution approved Thursday (Nov. 28) comes another condemnation of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the worsening conflict. To the international community, MEPs call for action to deal with the black hole that the now over a thousand days of war are. “No negotiations on Ukraine can take place without Ukraine,” the MEPs reiterate, calling on the EU and member states to work to increase international support and identify a peaceful solution to the war.

The triangular Beijing, Pyongyang, and Moscow

North Korea’s sending of troops and testing of ballistic missiles in Ukraine are frightening and, from the EU perspective, represent “a new phase of warfare” and are “a new risk to the security of Europe as a whole.”

Beijing is asked to end military assistance and the supply of dual-use goods to Russia. An additional warning comes from the EU in reference to Chinese actions, “Refusal to change the course of action in this regard risks damaging to EU-China bilateral relations seriously,” already in crisis over a trade war onset that started with European electric car duties to China and continued with Chinese duties on European brandy.

On this occasion, the EU Parliament also does not miss China’s influence on North Korea, now involved in the war in Ukraine. To avoid the shipment of arms to Russia, more international cooperation is called for, exerting “constant pressure on Pyongyang to cease its destabilizing actions.”

Member states are urged to strengthen the sanctions regime over North Korea, along with Belarus and Iran, including adding to the list of EU sanctions Chinese entities and individuals that support Russia or the Russian defence and security sector.

Not “A Farewell to Arms” (indeed, more spending)

An all-round commitment of the EU and individual states to Ukraine, which is also one of the candidates to join the EU. Despite the promise to implement Ukaine’s peace plan and create the necessary conditions for holding a second Peace Summit, much of the text is devoted to military support.

There is talk of supplying aircraft, long-range missiles such as Taurus, air defence systems and all the armaments necessary to enable Ukraine to continue to resist. European Commission President von der Leyen herself, in yesterday’s speech (Nov. 27) before the vote on the College of Commissioners, had stressed the need to spend more and cohesively on defence, and this was clearly reflected in the resolution.

All European states and NATO allies should commit 0.25 per cent of the annual GDP to “collectively and individually” provide military support to Ukraine. This is an important solicitation, which adds to the over €118 billion already spent by the EU, an amount equal to almost an entire annual EU budget.

Neither is the Trump 2.0 issue overlooked, toward which there are hopes of strengthening transatlantic cooperation that is “mutually beneficial, highlighting the common strategic interest of supporting Ukraine.” The bogeyman of disengagement by the new Republican presidency prompts MEPs to seek the most relaxed relations possible because “how long as it takes” does not appeal to everyone.

All happy and warmongering, but not the Left

The European Left voted compactly against the resolution, which passed with 390 votes in favour, 135 against and 52 abstentions. None of the group’s amendments managed to pass, meeting the opposition of the renewed “Ursula majority” in a very united way.

There was a call to focus on ending the war diplomatically, as President Zelenskyy himself had recently said, by 2025, limiting the EU’s military contribution to the conflict. Similarly, the condemnation of Biden’s move to authorize the Kyiv army to use long-range missiles (capable of reaching targets 300 kilometres away) was also advanced in the amendments.

The pacifist intent of the Left was, however, a bust. Bitter comment on X by the Movement 5Stelle Europe, part of the political group the Left:

An immoral measure was voted in at @Europarl_IT, criticizing those who try to seek a negotiated solution in #Ukraine. By stigmatizing Chancellor Scholz, who phoned #Putin in an attempt at dialogue last week, we make a gift to the warmongers.
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– M5S Europe (@M5S_Europe) November 28, 2024

The stigma on the German chancellor refers to a paragraph in the resolution in which the entire European Parliament “deplores the German chancellor’s recent telephone conversation with Vladimir Putin.” The alleged diplomatic intent did not sit well with European colleagues, and the dark times for Scholz (after the early elections) seem to have just begun.

Today’s resolution aligns with the commitments the EU has agreed to make with Ukraine and with the defence objectives that are clear to von der Leyen bis. While the defence industry presses for investment upon investment to be made to strengthen the European (but especially the sector’s) position, it remains to be seen how the Union will coordinate the spending of virtually an entire budget for a candidate country and its overall goals, so that “for as long as necessary” can be a realistic promise.