Europe can easily safeguard Ukraine

[BRUSSELS] Russian President Vladimir Putin’s dream has come true. With the divide between the US and Europe now wider than at any point since World War II, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato) no longer constitutes a united bloc committed to spoiling Russia’s revanchist ambitions. On the contrary, US President Donald Trump’s administration seems to share Putin’s view that superpowers have a natural right to claim authority over spheres of influence, with smaller, weaker countries submitting to their mightier neighbours. Now, it is up to Europe to stand up for democracy, sovereignty, and the rule of law in Europe – and that means defending Ukraine.

European leaders seem to recognise the challenge ahead. At a recent gathering in London, they reiterated their commitment to supporting Ukraine and began work on a plan to stop the fighting there. But if a European peace plan is to have a chance, Putin must be convinced that the cost of a continued assault on Ukraine would become untenable for Russia.

Overall, Western support for Ukraine has been running at around US$80 billion to US$90 billion per year since 2022, with more than half coming from Europe (the European Union, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and the UK). A recent fact sheet from the US State Department lists about US$67 billion in military aid delivered since 2022, or less than US$25 billion per year. From a financial point of view, Europe should have little problem substituting this sum, which amounts to less than 0.2 per cent of Europe’s gross domestic product.