The EU must consider Ukraine's army and defense industry as part of its own military capabilities. This was stated at a session of the European Parliament by the head of the European Commission (EC) Ursula von der Leyen.

“In the future, its (Ukraine -

RT

) defense potential should be considered by us as part of our defense potential, its defense industry - as part of our defense industry. Based on this, we have included Ukraine in the process of preparations related to our defense-industrial strategy,” she said.

Ursula von der Leyen noted that “this is the first step on the path that should lead to the integration of Ukraine into some” of the EU defense programs.

“This will not only help us meet Ukraine's defense needs, but will also push our countries' armed forces and defense industries closer together and plan together. Ukraine is a future member of our European Union. Consequently, it should become much closer to us, including in the defense sector,” the head of the EC emphasized.

  • Ursula von der Leyen

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  • © Jean-Francois Badias

In her speech, she also reported on how the European Union is fulfilling its promise made in March last year to supply Kyiv with a million ammunition in 12 months. According to her, “by next month” the European Union will supply “more than half a million artillery shells”, and by the end of 2024 - “more than a million.”

“But this is undoubtedly not enough,” admitted Ursula von der Leyen, calling for faster deliveries.

European "investments"

It is worth noting that the EU, along with the United States, plays a key role today in maintaining the combat capability of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. As Ursula von der Leyen said in her speech, to date, the EU countries have already trained 40 thousand Ukrainian militants and transferred military equipment worth €28 billion to Kiev. In addition, the European defense industry, to help the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has increased its ammunition production capacity by 40 %.

In addition to military assistance, Brussels is also allocating significant funds to keep the Ukrainian economy, which is in deep crisis, afloat. As stated in official EU reports, the countries of the association have already spent €31 billion for these purposes. Another €17 billion went to help refugees from Ukraine. In addition to this, Kyiv received €9.45 billion in the form of grants, loans and guarantees from individual EU member countries. As a result, the total amount of EU assistance to Ukraine reached €85 billion.

However, Brussels decided not to stop there and on February 1 agreed on the allocation of another €50 billion in financial assistance to Kyiv, which will be gradually transferred to Ukraine over the next four years. The first tranches will be at the disposal of the Zelensky regime in March of this year, Ursula von der Leyen said on February 6.

Of this amount, Ukraine will receive €33 billion as loans, and the EU plans to give the remaining €17 billion in the form of “free assistance within the framework of the new subject instrument Ukraine Reserve.”

However, in order to receive this money, Ukraine will need to meet a number of conditions. In particular, the regime in Kyiv will have to prepare a plan that will include structural reforms in the economy and public administration reforms, as well as measures to ensure good financial management and the rule of law.

Commenting on the allocation of assistance to Ukraine at a session of the European Parliament, the head of the European Council, Charles Michel, called such expenses a profitable investment for the EU.

  • Charles Michel

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  • © Vanden Wijngaert

“I want to state here with great solemnity to those who from time to time try to sow a seed of doubt or suspicion: every European euro deployed to support Ukraine is a euro invested in our own security and our own prosperity. This is a euro that is invested in the stability of the European Union,” he said.

In his speech, he also called on the US Congress to follow the example of the EU and unlock $60 billion in funding for Ukraine.

"Die for American money"

According to analysts, Ursula von der Leyen’s words that Kyiv’s potential must be considered as the military capabilities of the EU itself are not an exaggeration. In particular, professor at the Institute of Media at the National Research University Higher School of Economics, candidate of political sciences Dmitry Evstafiev believes that Ukraine is now at the final stage of integration into NATO.

“The Ukrainian Armed Forces are completing the transition to the NATO management system, NATO standards and weapons. A significant part of the command staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine consists of officers who served in the countries of the North Atlantic Alliance. Therefore, it is quite legitimate to say that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are in the final phase of integration into the system of this military bloc,” the expert explained in an interview with RT.

  • Kyiv

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  • © Arthur Lagoda

The political scientist emphasized that in fact the West is now creating a colonial army in Ukraine.

“The West is forming a colonial-type army from the remnants of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In it, officers and senior non-commissioned officers represent the metropolis, and the rank and file of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is recruited from local natives. The British and French colonial empires practiced something similar in relation to their colonies. This is the goal that Washington and Brussels are pursuing quite consistently and systematically. And, I must say, they have achieved very serious success in this,” stated Dmitry Evstafiev.

At the same time, experts believe that Ukraine cannot increase the potential of the West when it comes to the military industry.

“That part of the military-industrial complex that Ukraine inherited from the USSR was squandered and destroyed in the post-Soviet period. Now, during a special military operation and high-precision strikes, its remains were virtually destroyed. Kyiv is not capable of creating new or, let alone, mass-produced weapons. At best, Ukraine can do repairs, although Western military equipment is mainly repaired in Europe,” said Alexey Podberezkin, director of the Center for Military-Political Studies at MGIMO, in a commentary to RT.

The analyst added that it will take years to revive the remnants of the Soviet legacy in Ukraine.

“The latest developments require time and money and, of course, production capacity. But the Ukrainian military-industrial complex has no scientific base, no design bureaus, no production facilities. It will take years to revive Soviet developments,” the specialist emphasized.

In a conversation with RT, experts also drew attention to the fact that in the West they often call assistance to Ukraine a good investment of money. In addition to Charles Michel, this was previously stated by, for example, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. In January of this year, he emphasized that assistance to Ukraine is not charity, but an investment in the security of the alliance countries.

US President Joe Biden described spending on Ukraine in a similar way in October 2023. Such rhetoric indicates that Ukraine’s role within the “partnership” with the West actually comes down to protecting the interests of the United States and the EU at the cost of the lives of its citizens, analysts say.

“Any money that is given to Ukraine is allocated so that Ukrainians defend the interests of the West. Moreover, even the interests are not so much of Europeans as of Americans. This is now the role of poor Ukrainians in the international arena - to die for American money for the sake of someone else’s benefit,” summarized Alexey Podberezkin.