Stop Putin
It was a special week in Brussels. Over the past two days, one big summit has followed another. First NATO met, then the G7 (seven rich industrialised countries) and finally the European Council. The world leaders present have succeeded in their goal: to radiate unity. Major new steps to stop Russian aggression in Ukraine were, as expected, not forthcoming. It is becoming more complicated for the EU to impose tougher sanctions on the Kremlin.
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All in all, the three important summits did not last long. NATO met for a few hours, the G7 also kept it short and the European summit lasted two days as usual. The main purpose of the meetings was to make a fist against Russian President Vladimir Putin.
A month ago, Putin invaded Ukraine and since then NATO has been on a resurgence. According to US President Joe Biden, the alliance has “never been as united as it is now”.
The EU has woken up and the member states recognise that they need to have their own defence budgets in order. One country after another announced investments in recent weeks.
NATO itself is busy deterring Putin and defending its eastern flank. The alliance is making a major change of course. During the summit, it was decided to send additional troops and equipment to Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania.
Stop Putin: World leaders radiated unity, but Ukraine mainly receives moral support
NATO holds cards to its chest and has to balance a lot
But new commitments to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were not made. He again unsuccessfully asked NATO for warplanes, a no-fly zone and tanks, but had to settle for moral support. For the alliance, it is a matter of balancing. What can NATO do without going too far in Putin’s eyes?
“I think we are currently doing the maximum as far as that is realistically possible. Much more would entail the risk of a direct confrontation between NATO and Russia in a military sense,” Prime Minister Mark Rutte told the House of Representatives prior to the summits.
That turned out to be the case. At the summit, only more of the same was promised: more financial, military and humanitarian aid. According to Rutte, “the atmosphere at the table” had been especially important.
The member states have maintained and shown their unity, the prime minister said.
It is anyone’s guess whether this was also the case indoors. For example, Poland prefers to do more. The country is calling for a peacekeeping mission in their neighbouring country.
Nato does not make any statements about what should happen if Putin really crosses a red line. It is also not clear what a red line can be.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said after the summit: “Any use of chemical weapons by Russia in Ukraine is unacceptable and would have far-reaching consequences.” NATO does not comment further on these consequences. “You are not going to discuss such things openly,” Rutte said.
An even heavier sanctions package is becoming increasingly difficult to arrange within the EU
In the meantime, a fifth sanctions package is being worked on in Brussels. “We have now announced such massive sanctions that you are gradually in the corner of gas, oil and ports,” Rutte told the House of Representatives this week.
He was instructed by the MPs to commit himself to an oil boycott in Brussels. “For the Netherlands, there is no taboo on oil, gas or banning Russian ships from European ports,” the prime minister said. However, he immediately added a comment: “It really requires a very careful consideration.”
“We have to be careful that the sanctions do not become more painful for European citizens than for Russia themselves.”
Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Greece
This has first of all to do with the security of energy supply. Although the Netherlands is only partly dependent on Russian gas and oil, this is not the case for all Member States. Countries in Eastern Europe in particular still get a large part of their energy from Russia.
But Germany, Hungary and Italy are also more dependent and are not eager for a boycott.
Other heads of government were also cautious. All the more so because sanctions in the field of oil and gas can have far-reaching consequences for the European economy.
“We have to be careful that the sanctions do not become more painful for European citizens than for Russia themselves,” greek leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis said. “We are not at war with ourselves,” said Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo.
Stop Putin: World leaders radiated unity
Unity is the most important thing for the heads of government
New sanctions have not yet been introduced in recent days. The heads of government have agreed to enforce the existing sanctions more strictly.
The European Council stressed in the summit conclusions that the sanctions already taken have a “huge impact on Russia and Belarus and that it remains ready to swiftly impose further coordinated heavy sanctions”. The question is what line Putin must cross to see this willingness translated into action.
Unity is, in any case, the most important thing for the EU. Rutte emphasized this several times in recent weeks. For example, according to the Prime Minister, banning Russian ships from the port of Rotterdam would be of no use if other European ports remained open.
The same applies to an energy boycott; the whole market is interwoven at European level.
Moreover, the EU countries want to continue to radiate to Putin that they are more united than ever before. That goal has been achieved during the marathon of summits, but a major challenge awaits European leaders if there really are to be tougher sanctions.
Stop Putin: World leaders radiated unity
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