In the future, the EU will also need brute force, after years of using "soft power", said Irish General Sean Clancy today, who took over the leadership of the EU Military Committee from his Austrian counterpart Gen. Robert Brieger at a ceremony in Brussels, BTA reported.
Long-term planning, training of the military and discussing defense spending are only possible when there is no war. History teaches us that it is too late to address defense gaps if we already have to defend ourselves, Gen. Clancy added.
The war in Ukraine has changed our perceptions of a world based on the rule of law, Gen. Brieger said. After 2022, there has been a change in the strategic environment. Faster adaptation is needed, EU defense strategies and capabilities need to be thoroughly reviewed. Territorial defense must be at the core of our strategic thinking, he urged.
A change in thinking is crucial if the EU is to have the political will, operational readiness and strategic culture to live up to its aspirations. Without security, nothing makes sense, Gen. Brieger summarized.
Talks on Ukraine's security guarantees are progressing if a ceasefire is achieved, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaia Kalas announced at the ceremony. The best guarantee of security is a strong Ukrainian armed forces, the EU has already trained 75,000 Ukrainian soldiers, she added. According to her, the war in Ukraine has presented the EU with a challenge, but it has been met with unity and determination.