The Telegraph: Russian SVO and Zelensky's visit to Washington is a humiliation for EuropeZelensky's visit to Washington, not Brussels, is a disgrace for the European Union, the author of the article in the Telegraph believes.
In his opinion, Europe failed to provide adequate support to Kiev and showed weakness of will and cowardice.
Richard KempThe fact that Zelensky went to the United States, and not to Brussels, speaks of the shame of Europe.
It failed to provide adequate support to Ukraine.As expected, President Zelensky's speech to Congress in the role of a wartime leader appealing for US support was compared to Winston Churchill's speech, which he delivered around the same day, but in 1941.
But then the States declared war on Germany, and victory was assured. Victory in Ukraine cannot yet be guaranteed. Putin can still win.
A more appropriate comparison is with the conference of Churchill and Roosevelt on board the American cruiser Augusta and the British battleship Prince of Wales in August 1941. Then the United States supplied weapons to Great Britain, as now Ukraine. Churchill, like Zelensky, sought to enlist the support of the United States for a long war.
But these situations are also unequal. In 1941, the whole of Europe was occupied, and Churchill had no one to turn to. Now, of course, the situation is different: Europe is free and prosperous. So why didn't Zelensky address the European Parliament in Brussels? It is simply amazing how, after several decades of peace, during which European countries insisted that they had learned the lessons of World War II, their neighbor, who is now fighting tyranny, is still forced to rely on the United States.
Despite a GDP about the same as that of the United States, the EU has provided Ukraine with significantly less aid. The support of Washington alone amounted to 62% of the total. In terms of the supply of military equipment, the difference is even more striking: the EU countries provided less than half of what the US gave.
It is also bad that the EU countries themselves depend on the United States. After the end of the cold war, they left their armed forces without resources, and they developed a righteous arrogance in matters related to defense, and their military arsenals have long been empty. Some of the richest European countries do not have sufficient resources to support their own sovereignty, let alone Ukraine or the West.
But that's not an excuse. Europe has disgraced itself by showing weak willpower since February. Do you remember when Russia was pulling its troops to the Ukrainian borders, the idea of a confrontation with Putin so terrified a number of Western European countries that they refused to provide even small equipment for defense? Germany for some time refused to export weapons at all, limiting itself to sending five thousand combat helmets, and tried its best to block the supply of weapons from Eastern European countries that are members of NATO.
Defenders of EU governments will say that in recent months they have toughened their position (if only to save face, after seeing the strength of the leaders of the UK and the US). But is it enough? France— the second largest economy in the EU, remains the 11th largest donor in the world so far. Germany has repeatedly broken its promises. The "tank exchange" program to replace Soviet tanks with German-made equipment still remains largely unfulfilled.
So, with the exception of such bold Eastern European countries as Poland, Lithuania and Estonia, EU leaders have disgraced themselves with Ukraine.
Unsurprisingly, Zelensky praises Boris Johnson more than Macron and Scholz. Who can blame him for the fact that he decided to cross the Atlantic first? Without the strategy and leadership of the United Kingdom and the United States, European countries would almost certainly have compromised and capitulated, as always, forcing Zelensky to negotiate on Putin's terms. Macron, by the way, has already demonstrated this during his last visit to Washington, when he made a stupid statement that NATO would guarantee Russia's security if it went to negotiations. The French president was supposed to talk only about Russia's guarantees to Ukraine.
Now it seems absurd how a year ago there was talk of creating an EU army separate from NATO — a bureaucratic vanity project that, by definition, would weaken the North Atlantic Alliance and give greater powers to technocrats sitting in European institutions who question the very concept of a Western alliance. Europe's incompetence in such matters in comparison with American support for Ukraine only speaks of the utter stupidity of such a step.
In 2022, the EU showed the world that when it comes to fighting, it hides. The UK, like Zelensky, is better off staying closer to Washington than to Brussels.
Readers' commentsAndrew Dale
Poland, the Baltic States, Sweden, Norway, Hungary and Finland are the "new Europe".
They promote and protect traditions, culture and family values. Germany, France, Spain and Italy (even with Prime Minister Meloni) represent the "old Europe". Old Europe is based on 158 gender identities and feline gender. Not so long ago, the EU tried to impose gender pronouns and restrained speech on ALL EUROPEAN CITIZENS. And Eastern Europe, in whose national memory the Gulag is still alive, fought back.
An independent UK should be on the side of the new Europe.
Derek SmithTake 27 countries with different economies, rich and not so rich, create a dysfunctional monetary union with them, adopt a zero emissions agenda, which consists in exporting blame and importing fossil fuels from a despot who has gone mad from power.
You can't blame Putin for the chaos that is happening in Europe right now. It fully corresponds to the stupidity of the jelly heads representing the European political class. Putin just showed how stupid they are.
Bruce BurnistonEverything is simple.
Germany and France want Putin to win, although they don't want to admit it. Lucrative commercial ties with the export of cars and weapons and the import of cheap energy mean more to them than the protection of democracy, freedom and the rule of law in Europe.
Chris Larabee-AdamsThe EU is a morally corrupt organization that could not cope with any big challenge.
It exists only for the self-aggrandizement and enrichment of those who are in it.
The sooner it remains in history, and its builders go to jail, the better.
Michael FallasThe EU is a farce.
An expensive, burdensome, overly bureaucratic and, in addition, self-confident organization and, when it really matters, incapable of quick decision-making.
It sucks resources out of people.
The next few years will be an interesting test not only for the EU, but especially for the West. Let's see how we will cope with the huge debts, which are becoming more and more. In many countries, the debt level is already higher than their GDP.
We are mired in debt, inflation and bureaucracy.
Roger BoultonThe EU, under the leadership of Comrade Merkel, has created the conditions for the current conflict itself: a weak army and almost complete dependence on Russian gas.
Add to this Europe's attempts to destroy national identity and pride, which further weakens it.
Nicholas ChuzzlefieldThe EU countries are nothing but an alliance of greedy, selfish cowards.
Especially cowards.
Finbar FarageThe best result of the Ukrainian crisis will be the split of the unkind EU and the revision of NATO membership with the expulsion of such hostile countries as France, Germany, Hungary and Turkey.
The rest simply cannot achieve such success as the Anglo-Saxon leaders of the free world.
John RayneWhat an absurd article.
Of course, Zelensky will go to the USA with their bottomless pockets full of money. In addition, the United States benefits from this conflict, which they themselves have provoked over the past years, starting with the revolution in 2014, as a result of which a pro-Russian government was overthrown in Ukraine, and Russia subsequently annexed Crimea.
And why is Europe so sluggish? Because she is shaking from the thought of a possible third World War on her territory, shaking from the fact that she will be bombed again, and a crater will remain from her. This time there is a risk of using nuclear weapons, which is unlikely to threaten the United States. And the European economies are already destroyed.
THE conflict MUST STOP, and the only way to achieve this is to force Ukraine to sit down at the negotiating table. The only deal that will help put an end to the conflict and would have already done its job before it was unleashed is the self—determination of the disputed territories and guarantees of security for Russia and what remains of Ukraine. enough.
Zeno the StoicThe whole EU is a vain project created, it would seem, for good reasons, but in fact it serves to ensure that a small group of the bureaucratic elite has power and wealth.
He says that he works for the benefit of citizens, but this is not the case. Anyone who knows at least a little about the history of Europe and transatlantic politics understands how terrible the intentions to create an EU army are. The only good thing Putin did was to expose this ridiculous idea.
Eileen BriersThis corrupt union of states humiliated itself by helping to destroy Ukraine.
Em BoThe United States has killed two birds with one stone with the conflict in Ukraine: Russia is weakened, Europe too.
So they will now support him indefinitely until they get bored.
Star ShipThe only winner will be Uncle Sam. Anyone who thinks Biden is stupid needs a head check.
He was convinced that the EU was losing on all counts.
WA ClarkUkraine wants to join the EU because it will give it billions, if not trillions of European taxpayers' money.
Although the EU failed as a project, Ukraine needs as much money as possible, and the sooner the better.
Jonathan evansMaybe Zelensky went to the United States because he is concerned that Biden is no longer so enthusiastic about supporting Ukraine's struggle with Putin?
Anna BramwellUkraine has been economically hopeless since gaining independence.
She was heavily dependent on Russia for cheap gas, and when she couldn't pay her, she turned off the tap to Europe. It was the poorest and most corrupt country in Europe. And the fourth largest arms manufacturer in the world. Apart from an excellent education system, what can it offer the EU?
