With the disengagement of the United States of Donald Trump, the European Union had promised to increase military aid to Ukraine exponentially. But after the initial enthusiasm, the plan presented by the high representative Kaja Kallas to provide 40 billion euros in Kiev seems to be completely derailed. The former premier Estone risks not even being able to pass the most modest version of his project: the first tranche by only five billion for ammunition and artillery.
Zelensky’s appeal ignored
The twenty -seven, at the meeting of the European Council, in fact ignored the appeal of Volodymyr Zelensky, who intervening by videoconference said: “We need funds for artillery bullets and we would appreciate a lot of supporting Europe with at least five billion euros as soon as possible”. Several leaders did not remove their reserve in the European Council yesterday (Thursday 20 March), among these the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, but also the French President Emmanuel Macron.
Macron rejoices: “We now have a strategy to fully re -enter Europe”
The president of the European Council, Antonio Costa, said that, thanks to the tools made available by the 800 billion euro plan of Ursula von der Leyen, “Member States will increase support for Ukraine”, but did not mention the Kallas plan.
The Kallas plan
The original formulation of the “Piano Kallas” provided for shipping to Ukraine of at least 1.5 million artillery ammunition in 2025. This idea, presented last month, had been rejected by a Hungarian veto. Then the liberal Estonian tried again, aiming to put together a coalition of states willing to dig in their arms deposits and in the national coffers to provide up to 40 billion euros in military aid to Ukraine this year. But even here without success.
The problems began from the beginning of the plan, according to several EU diplomats, when the high representative has not managed to obtain the preliminary approval from important nations and the countries of the South, those most remained to spend too much for weapons, especially those to give to others.
Difficult role
Former premier Kallas has so far tried to put in place bold moves in support of Ukraine, but his style of action very enterprising at the moment is clashing with the reality of the facts. The role of the high representative is one of the most complex because, like the President of the European Council, he guides a assembly (the Foreign Affairs Council) in which unanimity of the twenty -seven is necessary to proceed. And therefore, more than guiding diplomacy, the role often reduces to its coordination: in short, a more diplomatic than political role.
