Strasbourg, France: Europe will try to increase its military capability after the fall of the US-backed government. AfghanistanMILF Major Ursula von der leyen Announcing the Defense Summit on Wednesday, he said.
“It is time for Europe to step up to the next level,” said von der Leyen European Parliament, in his annual address to the European Union.
He said French President Emmanuel Macron would convene a “summit on European defence” during the presidency of France’s six-month bloc starting in the new year.
Paris is pushing for a 27-nation League to develop more autonomous military capability alongside the Western Alliance, which has traditionally been led by the US.
And the rapid collapse of Afghanistan’s government at the end of a 20-year-old US-led mission in Afghanistan has intensified debate in Brussels about the role of the European Union.
But most of the EU countries are also its members. nato The Coalition and some, especially the eastern states more vulnerable to threats from Russia, do not want to undermine ties with the United States.
Von der Leyen said, “Witnessing the events in Afghanistan was extremely painful for the families and friends of the fallen soldiers and soldiers.”
“We have to consider how this mission could end so abruptly. There are deeply troubling questions that allies within NATO will have to deal with.
“But there is no security and defense issue where less cooperation is the answer.”
Von der Leyen vows to work with NATO Secretary General Genso Stoltenberg On a new EU-NATO joint declaration to be presented before the end of the year.
The EU video feed of von der Leyen’s address showed a picture of the NATO leader standing side by side and smiling, but Stoltenberg has expressed doubts over the strategy of an autonomous EU.
“Any attempt to set up parallel systems, mimicking the command structure, would undermine our combined ability to work together,” Stoltenberg told the UK daily. Wire Last week.
In the short term, the EU chief has pledged an additional 100 million euros ($118 million) in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, as the bloc grapples with the immediate collapse of a Taliban takeover.
“We must do everything we can to avoid the real risk of a major famine and humanitarian disaster,” she said, adding that Europe “stands with the Afghan people”.
The new promise comes after the European Commission – the EU executive – has already quadrupled its humanitarian aid to Afghanistan to 200 million euros for this year as the country struggles to prevent collapse following the Taliban takeover. Is.
Brussels has said no aid will go to Afghanistan’s new rulers and called on the Taliban to ensure humanitarian workers access the country.
Von der Leyen said the EU would fully determine its “new, comprehensive Afghan support package” in the coming weeks.
In a sweeping speech, von der Leyen focused on the bloc’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and efforts to promote vaccinations around the world.
She said the EU would donate another 200 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to low-income countries, more than doubling its current pledge.
“With a global dose of less than one percent in low-income countries, the scale of the injustice and the level of urgency is clear,” she said.
On the economic front, von der Leyen stressed that the bloc will not repeat the mistake of the 2007–2008 financial crisis by imposing sudden budgetary austerity as it emerges from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Noting that the last time it took the EU eight years to return to pre-crisis levels, Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament in her annual EU address: “We will not repeat that mistake.”
She called the financial crisis “a cautionary tale”, adding that “Europe declared victory too soon and we paid the price”.
“It is time for Europe to step up to the next level,” said von der Leyen European Parliament, in his annual address to the European Union.
He said French President Emmanuel Macron would convene a “summit on European defence” during the presidency of France’s six-month bloc starting in the new year.
Paris is pushing for a 27-nation League to develop more autonomous military capability alongside the Western Alliance, which has traditionally been led by the US.
And the rapid collapse of Afghanistan’s government at the end of a 20-year-old US-led mission in Afghanistan has intensified debate in Brussels about the role of the European Union.
But most of the EU countries are also its members. nato The Coalition and some, especially the eastern states more vulnerable to threats from Russia, do not want to undermine ties with the United States.
Von der Leyen said, “Witnessing the events in Afghanistan was extremely painful for the families and friends of the fallen soldiers and soldiers.”
“We have to consider how this mission could end so abruptly. There are deeply troubling questions that allies within NATO will have to deal with.
“But there is no security and defense issue where less cooperation is the answer.”
Von der Leyen vows to work with NATO Secretary General Genso Stoltenberg On a new EU-NATO joint declaration to be presented before the end of the year.
The EU video feed of von der Leyen’s address showed a picture of the NATO leader standing side by side and smiling, but Stoltenberg has expressed doubts over the strategy of an autonomous EU.
“Any attempt to set up parallel systems, mimicking the command structure, would undermine our combined ability to work together,” Stoltenberg told the UK daily. Wire Last week.
In the short term, the EU chief has pledged an additional 100 million euros ($118 million) in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, as the bloc grapples with the immediate collapse of a Taliban takeover.
“We must do everything we can to avoid the real risk of a major famine and humanitarian disaster,” she said, adding that Europe “stands with the Afghan people”.
The new promise comes after the European Commission – the EU executive – has already quadrupled its humanitarian aid to Afghanistan to 200 million euros for this year as the country struggles to prevent collapse following the Taliban takeover. Is.
Brussels has said no aid will go to Afghanistan’s new rulers and called on the Taliban to ensure humanitarian workers access the country.
Von der Leyen said the EU would fully determine its “new, comprehensive Afghan support package” in the coming weeks.
In a sweeping speech, von der Leyen focused on the bloc’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and efforts to promote vaccinations around the world.
She said the EU would donate another 200 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to low-income countries, more than doubling its current pledge.
“With a global dose of less than one percent in low-income countries, the scale of the injustice and the level of urgency is clear,” she said.
On the economic front, von der Leyen stressed that the bloc will not repeat the mistake of the 2007–2008 financial crisis by imposing sudden budgetary austerity as it emerges from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Noting that the last time it took the EU eight years to return to pre-crisis levels, Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament in her annual EU address: “We will not repeat that mistake.”
She called the financial crisis “a cautionary tale”, adding that “Europe declared victory too soon and we paid the price”.
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