Volodimir Zelensky visited Brussels this Thursday. She pulled from her cargo pants pocket one of his most elaborate scripts. And he managed to make his gratitude (for the economic, social, political and military support) sound like pending debts. And he played that indefatigable character, irritating because he commits you, who at the same time you want to hug and, if possible, not have to listen anymore (because he puts the dead).
“Let’s be practical. We call for long-range missiles and fighter jets to be the ones who win Russia… that is, so that you are not the next to have to defend yourself”, he came to say, with a half smile on his face.
“I thought I was listening to you, Madam President,” he said at another time, looking at the president of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyenbefore a room full of journalists noting, “that Ukraine is making important progress in the reforms required to join the European Union.”
…and immediately, he turned his face towards Charles-MichelPresident of the Council: “So when I say that we want negotiations to open this year, I mean this year. In other words, 2023.”
Some laughter sounded in the press room. Undoubtedly, the actor cousin had brought the role well learned.
European leaders applauded him, took photos of him, promised “unwavering” and “resolute” support. But only Roberta Metsola, expressed it out loud: “We must respond soon or we may be late,” the president of Parliament said at a press conference. “I have transmitted it to the Heads of State and Government at the beginning of the Council. The EU must respond proportionally to the threat. And the threat is systemic, not only for Ukraine, but for other neighboring countries.”
But one thing is to reunite the family and another is that, for a year, this is relatives and one more. And also, that he has gone from being a distant cousin to a center of meetings… or that one day, this Thursday, he sits at the table in the place of honor and, on top of that, reminds you how much you owe him: “Our soldiers need their weapons and their commitment,” he told the Twenty-seven in the Council plenary. “Because they fight so that you don’t have to”.
second courses
All the allies have been proclaiming “total” support for Ukraine since February 24. But also, being late or delaying responses.
Volodimir Zelensky, President of Ukraine, with Rishi Sunak, British Prime Minister, next to a Challenger car at the training ground in Dorset.
Why does Zelensky order planes from Rishi Sunakmissiles to Emmanuel Macron and negotiations already to enter the EU to Von der Leyen? Why, a month ago, did he only let hours go by from when he found out that they were finally giving him the tanks until he raised the request to the fighters? Because not content with candidate statuswhich already gives you access to European funds and, soon, to the single market?
Because the tanks began to be talked about last summer, the Yeah It arrived in January, and the first tank won’t arrive until spring.
For this reason, and because “the war not only has to be won, it can be won,” argued the Ukrainian leader. the same Josep Borrell He has admitted it on several occasions. “We spent months discussing whether to train kyiv troops…so much so that the war started and we still hadn’t decided.” Today, more than fifty Ukrainian soldiers are on maneuvers in Toledo… and also in Dorset (United Kingdom).
Because Zelenski was also coming from a previous stopover in London. That is, to give preeminence to the protagonist of a painful divorce within the European family, that of Brexit.
And Sunak was even made a similar move on Wednesday: when the British prime minister had proudly announced that “the United Kingdom will train his country’s fighter pilots”, the Ukrainian president publicly thanked him for the future delivery of an indeterminate number of fighters
“everything is on the tablewe will talk about everything to support Ukraine”, clarified the premier to qualify that statement without expressly contradicting Zelensky.
And even before “arriving home”, which is how he baptized his arrival in Brussels, Zelensky dined in Paris with Macron and Olaf Schölzwhich raised blisters in Italy. Giorgia Meloni she felt relegated and described the gesture as “inconvenient for European unity”.
What the prime minister did not clarify is whether the criticism was directed at the Franco-German or the Ukrainian leaders, but she did make it clear that she did not like not appearing in the photo at all… perhaps because her predecessor, Mario DraghiYes, he had slipped into the previous one, boarded a train on his way to kyiv with Macron and Scholz.
German Chancellor Scholz, French President Macron and Italian Prime Minister Draghi on a train to kyiv in June 2022.
The Spanish delegation downplayed the controversy. It is not only that in the EU we are all equal, but Germany and France are more equal than the others, as everyone knows. It is that in addition, Madrid supports the Normandy format “without fissures”which gave rise to the Minsk agreements, in 2014, when Russia invaded Crimea.
…that is, when the leading countries of the EU accepted those fait accomplis and Europe began to show up late in support of kyiv. That is, the reason why Ukraine sets the start date of this war in 2014 and not in 2022. And for this reason, the Zelensky’s Decalogue for Peace it says what it says, so clearly, in its points five and six: “Territorial integrity of Ukraine. World order. Withdrawal of Russian troops and cessation of hostilities.”
In other words, that Europe truly commits itself to continue shouting “Slava Ukraini!” until the last Russian leaves, even from Crimea and Donbas. And is the EU committed to the end? What is “the end”? Is there anyone willing to answer that question in detail? Someone other than the awkward relative, that’s understood.
decalogue for peace
To each of the European leaders who sat down with him, Zelensky handed out a wish list. Government sources refused to comment on what Sánchez received, but it is unlikely that the request to Spain included an express request for combat aircraft: Spain is NATO’s southern and Atlantic border and, furthermore, it already contributes by patrolling the skies on the eastern flank.
In any case, all the heads of state and government felt more comfortable applauding Zelenski’s decalogue than responding to when there will be tanks, whether or not there will be fighters, what do we know about missiles or what about integration express.
Pedro Sánchez meets with Volidímir Zelenski in Brussels.
Own Pedro Sanchez he conveyed it to the Ukrainian leader during their meeting in Brussels. The Spanish president sat face to face with him, along with Borrell, and surrounded by the Dutch, Polish, Swedish, Romanian leaders, and the Italian Meloni.
There he highlighted the need for this plan to have the greatest possible support among the international community, according to Moncloa sources. Thus, he proposed to his European colleagues present “arrange diplomatic efforts to achieve it”. The same sources reveal that the idea was “very well received” among the meeting participants.
Zelensky’s Decalogue
- Radiological and nuclear safety.
- Food safety.
- energy security.
- Release of all prisoners and deportees.
- Implementation of the UN Charter and restoration of the territorial integrity of Ukraine and the world order.
- Withdrawal of Russian troops and cessation of hostilities.
- Restoration of Justice.
- Counter ecocide.
- Prevention of a new escalation.
- Confirmation of the end of the war.
“I can not afford it”
The Ukrainian president has fed his character since last February 24. It will soon be a year since Vladimir Putin hit the button play to his war movie to the neighboring country.
On the first night, after the predicted outcome had not come to pass – a blitzkrieg to the Russian in the 21st century -, Zelensky appeared in a night scene, walking the streets and squares of a soulless and scared kyiv: “Here we are, we will resist. Here I am, I am not leaving”.
And that simple semantic evidence took on the meaning of challenging the invader.
Now, after demonstrating his courage, determination and “resilience”; and after proving that with financial and military support, Ukrainian soldiers know how to push back the enemy on the battlefield, he summed it all up in one sentence over dessert: “I simply can’t afford to go home without concrete answers. Emotions ran out on February 24, We are practical, and this trip must pay off.“.
And what are results? He made it very clear in his three public interventions, before the plenary session of the European Parliament, before the plenary session of the Heads of State and Government in the Council, and at a press conference… that already mentioned scene in which he shared a shot with Von der Leyen and Michel: “missiles long range, planes fighter-bombers and opening of negotiations for the EU integration before the end of the year.”
The first two, to win the war. The last, to “give morale to our troops,” he said. “We have freedom and justice, European values. We need positive signals, hear together the powerful voice of Europe. And let Russia listen“.
But to the three points the European leaders responded with words more beautiful than committed: “We are a family, and families help each other”Von der Leyen proclaimed.
Yes, but missiles or planes? “That is sovereign decision of the Member States“, claimed the president of the Commission.
Integration of Ukraine into the EU? “I promise… I will have to seek unanimity in the Council“Michael dodged.
Only Metsola, President of the European Parliament, of the citizens represented there, had given a Yeah clear. “The president has been very direct, that’s why I have been too,” he explained to questions from EL ESPAÑOL.
Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, holds an EU flag with Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament.
So Zelensky left Brussels without the answers he was looking for. At least in public. That which he also asked for, “so that the dictator of the Kremlin can hear them.”
Because the rhythms of the EU are what they are: there are twenty-seven countries, jealous of their sovereignty -let us remember that foreign and security policies are the only ones in which the Union does not decide anything, it only coordinates-, and with different interests that fit hardly with each other and, at the same time, with the general principles and values of the Union.
Thus, everything “unshakable” and “resolute” in support for Ukraine turns into verbiage -hollow adjectives- when the substantive –he noun – is not approached with genuine “unwavering resolve”.
Filed under Charles Michel, Russian-Ukrainian War, European Union (EU), Ursula von der Leyen, Volodimir Zelensky
Editor-in-chief of Politics at EL ESPAÑOL. Previously, section chief at El Mundo and OKDiario. Author/co-author of three books: ‘The law of the strongest’ (Oxfam-Intermon, 2003); ‘Legends of the guitar’, (Guitars Exchange, 2015); and ‘Views from civil society for the future of Europe’ (FIDE, 2020). Graduate in Journalism from the UCM and Master in Digital Marketing from ICEMD-ESIC.
