The return of war to the European continent has come as a profound, if
delayed, shock to the west. No one, just a year ago, could have
imagined that it would come to this. A Europe struggling with its
financial and economic woes is caught off guard by Ukraine’s turmoil and
Russia’s role in that. Now, we have the immediate flashpoint in eastern
Ukraine, which the Minsk declaration announced
by the leaders of France, Germany, Ukraine and Russia, aims to address.
And then there is the long view, the wider picture to be grasped: and
that concerns Europe’s future and its long-term security.
For what we are witnessing is a truly a defining moment for how the continent may look like in the 21st century, in a context where the transatlantic bond is significantly weakened. The key question revolves around how Europe will deal in the future with ensuring a stable security architecture on its territory, capable of preventing more bloodshed and thus ensuring it can defend its interests in a changing world. There are far more, and far deeper, unknowns here than in how the ceasefire will hold out in eastern Ukraine.
Note EU-Digest: Yes indeed, Europe needs to look at its own defense. Even though it might sound completely ridiculous, an obligatory EU - wide military conscription program which mixes up conscripts from EU countries and stations them around the EU would not only solve the problem of putting together an integrated EU defense force, but also by the sheer fact of mixing the conscripts from different EU member states together in a united military force create a strong base for unity in the EU on a long term basis.
Read more: We Europeans must face up to our own security challenges | Natalie Nougayrede | Comment is free | The Guardian
For what we are witnessing is a truly a defining moment for how the continent may look like in the 21st century, in a context where the transatlantic bond is significantly weakened. The key question revolves around how Europe will deal in the future with ensuring a stable security architecture on its territory, capable of preventing more bloodshed and thus ensuring it can defend its interests in a changing world. There are far more, and far deeper, unknowns here than in how the ceasefire will hold out in eastern Ukraine.
Note EU-Digest: Yes indeed, Europe needs to look at its own defense. Even though it might sound completely ridiculous, an obligatory EU - wide military conscription program which mixes up conscripts from EU countries and stations them around the EU would not only solve the problem of putting together an integrated EU defense force, but also by the sheer fact of mixing the conscripts from different EU member states together in a united military force create a strong base for unity in the EU on a long term basis.
Read more: We Europeans must face up to our own security challenges | Natalie Nougayrede | Comment is free | The Guardian
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