Agathe Cherki, edited by Laura Laplaud 10:07 a.m., February 28, 2022

A milestone has been crossed.

Vladimir Putin has put his deterrent force on alert, a force that includes nuclear weapons.

The Russian president invoked the bellicose declarations of NATO and the illegitimate sanctions imposed on Russia.

A context that has pushed Europe to increase sanctions.

Europe is not intimidated by Vladimir Putin.

If Moscow plays the nuclear deterrent card, Vladimir Putin has announced that he will put his deterrent force on alert.

Brussels responds.

The Twenty-Seven will release 450 million euros to arm the Ukrainians.

Some member countries have also planned to deliver combat aircraft.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen talks about a watershed moment.

"For the first time, the European Union will finance the purchase and delivery of arms and other equipment to a country under attack," she said.

"A historic first"

"This is a watershed moment. We are proposing a ban on all Russian-owned aircraft registered in Russia or controlled by Russians. These aircraft will no longer be able to land, take off or fly over European Union territory," he said. she clarified.

“Secondly, in another unprecedented measure, we will ban the Kremlin media machine in the European Union. State media, Russia Today and Sputnik, and their affiliates will no longer be able to spread their lies to justify the war of Putin and sow division in our union,” she continued.

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"A historic first" according to Josep Borrell, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy: "The European Union is a peace project. We want to keep peace in Europe, but we must also be ready to defend this peace," he said.

Almost all of the European Union envelope invested

In total, 500 million euros will be invested by the Twenty-Seven, i.e. almost all of the envelope available to the European Union in 2022 to finance defense operations.

Of these 500 million, 50 million will go into non-lethal equipment, protective equipment and fuels, for example, while the remaining 450 million will be invested in lethal weapons, ammunition, but also fighter planes.

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The details of the investments, the quantity and the nature of the equipment to be mobilized or even the way in which this equipment will be transported to the front line must still be specified.

The European Ministers of Defense will therefore meet in a few hours by videoconference to take stock of these modalities.

Joe Biden will hold a conference call with his allies and partners on Monday to discuss developments in the attack in Ukraine and coordinate a united response.

While Emmanuel Macron meets Monday morning a new defense council at the Elysee.