Opinion piece by HR/VP Borrell in l’OBS of 30 January 2024

Subject: Opinion piece by HR/VP Borrell in l’OBS of 30 January 2024

In the opinion piece mentioned in the title of this question, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the Commission writes that the EU and Member States have supplied over EUR 30 billion worth of defence equipment to Ukraine and trained over 40 000 Ukrainian soldiers within the EU.

He goes on to write that ‘the EU should provide long-range missiles and other advanced weapons systems to Ukraine’.

The call to supply ever more powerful and advanced weaponry to Ukraine implies the possibility of an uncontrollable escalation of the conflict in Ukraine, with potentially dramatic consequences for the security of citizens in the EU, which could be recognised by Russia as being an active belligerent party.

HR/VP Borrell also claims that ‘EU sanctions have weakened the Russian war machine’. However, in 2023, Russia’s economy had grown by 3.6 % more than both those of the Union and the United States.

1. Does the Commission support the HR/VP’s call for uncontrollable escalation?

2. Has an analysis been carried out to assess the impact of sanctions on the Union’s economy?

3. What implications does the Commission draw from this evaluation of sanctions against Russia?

Submitted:21.2.2024

Answer given by High Representative/Vice-President Borrell i Fontelles on behalf of the European Commission (22 May 2024)

Russia continues to escalate its war of aggression against Ukraine, including with massive missile and drone attacks against Ukrainian civilians and civilian infrastructure. Ukraine, with the help of its partners, is defending itself in line with the United Nations Charter.

Russia’s war poses an existential threat not only to Ukraine, but also to our European and international security. On 22 March 2024, the European Council confirmed that given the urgency of the situation, the EU is determined to continue providing Ukraine and its people all the necessary political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support for as long as it takes and as intensely as needed (1).

The EU has taken a wide range of measures to limit Russia’s capacity to finance its war of aggression, including via the adoption of 13 sanctions packages. EU sanctions are carefully calibrated to ensure maximum impact on the ability to wage war and to minimise impact on Member States. The Commission monitors the potential impact of the war on parts of the EU economy.

The Russian authorities claim that the growth of the economy has surpassed its potential, however, this results in above-target inflation, a tight monetary policy and interest rates at 16%. Russia’s apparent economic growth is based on ever-increasing levels of military spending and government fiscal stimulus, which exacerbates structural economic problems and is unsustainable in the longer term.

1 ∙ ⸱ https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2024/03/22/european-council-conclusions-21-and-22-march-2024/ | | ( | | )