MIL-OSI Europe: The efforts led by France and the United Kingdom must enable a huge boost in support for Ukraine

Published on April 4, 2025

In the face of the troubled times we’re going through, in the face of the new global disorder that is setting in, our alliance’s members must, more than ever, show unfailing solidarity.

Solidarity first of all with Ukraine, because today the only obstacle to peace is Russia. It certainly isn’t Ukraine, because three weeks ago the Ukrainians agreed – and it was a brave compromise – to accept the unconditional ceasefire proposal made to them by the United States of America. And in the past three weeks we’ve seen Vladimir Putin stepping up his delaying tactics, continuing his strikes on energy infrastructure and continuing his war crimes. It’s now up to Russia to say whether it wants a ceasefire – yes or no. (…)

Solidarity in the face of the threat Russia represents today, which is a threat to all our alliance’s members, in the north, south, east and west. Firstly because Russia currently devotes 10% of its national wealth to its war effort and 40% of its national budget to its military expenditure, and because Vladimir Putin this week announced a new conscription drive of 160,000 soldiers, the highest number in 14 years. And also because Vladimir Putin has deliberately chosen to place the threat in the nuclear field, through a revision of the doctrine, through a strengthened partnership with proliferating powers like Iran and North Korea, and also through the unprecedented use of this threat as a bullying method to serve his war of aggression in Ukraine.

In this context, the efforts led by France and the United Kingdom must enable a huge boost – a huge boost in support for Ukraine. And last Thursday in Paris, through President Macron, alongside President Zelenskyy, we announced a further €2-billion outlay to support the Ukrainian resistance. The meeting of heads of State and government invited to Paris by President Macron led to an agreement on joint work to support the US effort and lay the groundwork for a monitoring of the ceasefire, once it’s been achieved. And beyond this, some members of this coalition of willing and able powers wanted to lay the groundwork for a reassurance force, which in due course will allow a genuinely lasting peace agreement to be concluded between Ukraine and Russia, and this will also be the purpose of the visit to Ukraine at the end of this week by the French and British chiefs of defence staff. The purpose really is to achieve an end to this war of aggression and create the conditions for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity to be respected in a lasting way.

I’ll also add that respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty applies not only to Ukraine but to all the countries in our alliance and their overseas territories. Europe’s borders are not negotiable. Nor are the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Alliance countries.

Solidarity, as I was saying, on the development of NATO’s European pillar. The time has come to develop it. We’re ready for that. Our US partners have also asked us to. In reality, we’re ready for a twofold increase: an increase in the share of our military expenditure in our national wealth, and an increase in the European share of European military expenditure.

The first increase, as I was saying, is the share of our military expenditure in our national wealth. At national level, thanks to two military estimates acts instigated by President Macron, we’ve managed to reach the threshold of 2% of national wealth devoted to our military spending, and the President has set a target of 3% to 3.5%. And we’re preparing to meet it: 3.5% is roughly the level of US military expenditure.

The second increase, to the European share of European military expenditure, is also one of the goals we set ourselves at European level with the White Paper on defence, with the European Council’s recent decisions. Today the European share of military expenditure stands at roughly 50%. For our American partners, the US share of US military expenditure is roughly 100%. So we have considerable room for progress in developing this European share of our military expenditure.

As I said, unfailing solidarity, which is required from all members of the Alliance today. Solidarity which is nevertheless being put to the test by the decisions taken and announced yesterday by President Trump, with the imposition of reciprocal tariffs, which will have negative consequences on both the American economy and the economies of all the Alliance’s members. This also applies to the European economy, and at 4.00 p.m. today President Macron will be meeting the representatives of the sectors concerned, to assess the consequences of these decisions. The European Union will respond – it will do so initially next week – in retaliation for the tariffs the United States has already imposed on steel and aluminium, a few weeks ago. Then, as it’s already said, it will begin consultations to adopt further measures if needed, following the reciprocal tariffs imposed yesterday evening. As the European Commission President has reiterated, Europe has every means to protect Europeans, their interests and their prosperity. Over the past few years we’ve developed powerful trade-defence instruments for this. But our response will be effective only if it is united, if Europeans show unity. That is how they’ll be able to enter into the negotiations in a position of strength when they begin, to benefit European prosperity.

Thank you, everyone./.