In the crossfire of Russia-Ukraine war, EU countries ditch pacifist policies

In an exclusive interview with 'The National', the EU commissioner for crisis management says Europe is building a better deterrent against Moscow

EU commissioner for crisis management Janez Lenarcic during his interview with 'The National' in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

Live updates: follow the latest news on Russia-Ukraine

Russia's invasion of Ukraine is a watershed moment for the EU, the bloc's commissioner for crisis management Janez Lenarcic has told The National.

The EU will not remain an economic giant with a pacifist approach, as several countries are starting to shore up their military defences, Mr Lenarcic said in an exclusive interview during a visit to Dubai.

He said Russia's assault on its neighbour has shown the unity of the EU, as all member states speak with one voice on the future security strategy.

“The Russian aggression on Ukraine has triggered or accelerated the discussion within the European Union to strengthen the common European defence,” Mr Lenarcic said.

“The war has reminded us the world is a dangerous place where we have undemocratic, authoritarian regimes that don’t observe the international law.”

Mr Lenarcic was in the UAE this week to attend the 18th Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development conference and exhibition, from March 14 to March 16. This brought together key decision-makers from national government authorities, UN agencies, international organisations and leading NGOs.

During his visit, Mr Lenarcic met with Minister of State for International Co-operation Reem Al Hashimy.

Last week, the UAE sent, via Poland, an aircraft carrying 30 tonnes of emergency health aid and medical supplies to Ukraine, as part of its emergency relief efforts to assist civilians.

This came in response to the international humanitarian appeal to support displaced Ukrainians and refugees in neighbouring countries.

More than three million people have fled their homes in Ukraine since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the Russian invasion nearly three weeks ago.

Mr Putin has cited Ukraine’s ambitions to join Nato and the western defence alliance stationing troops in eastern Europe as his main justification for the war.

Russia has demanded Ukraine drops its bid to join Nato, adopts a neutral status and demilitarises.

Preventing another war

Mr Lenarcic, a former director of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights within the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe intergovernmental organisation, said the invasion of Ukraine has given Europe a sense of direction in its future policies to prevent another war in the region.

“Both the economic and defence policies are so important. The EU also focuses on green and digital transition, but it’s also important to have defence capabilities as the Russian aggression serves as the biggest reminder that one has to possess suitable deterrent capabilities,” the Slovenian diplomat said.

Several European countries, especially those bordering Ukraine, Russia or Moscow's ally Belarus, have sought to expand their military capabilities.

They increased mandatory military services and put their armed forces on high alert during the long Russian build-up to the war with the deployment of more than 100,000 Russian troops to the borders with Ukraine.

Officials in Poland, Lithuania, Hungary and Latvia have said repeatedly that they want to ensure their defences are enough to deter a Russian invasion.

They are hoping to secure sophisticated US defence equipment that includes anti-tank weapons and the Patriot air defence missile system.

Smoke rising in Kyiv, which mayor Vitali Klitschko says faces a 'difficult and dangerous moment' as Russian forces step up strikes. AFP

Pope Francis meets visitors holding the Ukrainian flag during his weekly general audience in the Vatican. AFP

An anti-war protester demonstrates against Russia's invasion of Ukraine in front of the Nato headquarters in Brussels. AFP

A poster in Saint Petersburg carries the letter Z, a symbol of support for the invasion, and reads: "We are proud of Russia! We are not ashamed!" AFP

Amid the Ukraine war, there's time for a seaside stroll in Odesa. Reuters

A child who fled from Ukraine to Belgium waits outside an immigration office in Brussels. EPA

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy receives a standing ovation as he appears via videoconference to make an address to Canada's Parliament. AP

A woman walks with a bicycle next to a building damaged during the conflict in the separatist-controlled town of Volnovakha, Donetsk region. Reuters

A firefighter outside a destroyed apartment building in a residential area of Kyiv. AP

Ukrainian soldiers pay tribute to Col Valeriy Gudz, who was killed in battle against Russian troops, at a cemetery in the town of Boryspil. AP

Firefighters work to extinguish a fire in a housing block hit by shelling in the Sviatoshynsky district, in western Kyiv. AFP

Two people were killed as a series of powerful explosions rocked residential districts in Kyiv just hours before talks between Ukraine and Russia were set to resume. AFP

The Met Opera and Chorus performs during 'A Concert For Ukraine' in New York City. AFP

A worker welds metal at the Interpipe Steel plant in Dnipro, Ukraine. Hundreds of Interpipe’s 10,000 employees have joined the fight against Russia. AP

A woman is rescued by firefighters from her apartment in a burning building that was hit by artillery shells in Kyiv. AP

Rescuers work at a building damaged by an air strike, in central Kharkiv, Ukraine. Reuters

A woman who fled Ukraine to Belgium waits outside an immigration office, in Brussels. EPA

Cars stuck at the Irpin River bridge, as Russia unleashes a barrage of air strikes on cities across Ukraine. AFP

A firefighter looks at a section of a Ukrainian Tochka-U missile on a street in the separatist Donetsk region. The Russian military said 20 civilians were killed by a ballistic missile launched by the Ukrainian forces. AP

Musician Davide Martello plays a piano near the Ukrainian border in Medyka, Poland. More than 1.76 million people have crossed the Polish-Ukrainian border into Poland, the Polish Border Guard reported on March 14. EPA

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, snaps a selfie with a wounded man during a visit at a military hospital after fighting in the Kyiv region.AFP

Ukrainian soldiers carry rocket-propelled grenades and sniper rifles as they walk towards the city of Irpin, north-west of Kyiv. AFP

Troops carry an elderly woman on a stretcher across a makeshift bridge as Ukrainians flee Irpin. AFP

Irina Moprezova, 54, stands in front of a house that was damaged by an air strike in Irpin. AFP

The flags of Russia and Ukraine are projected on the walls of Jerusalem's Old City, which a representative from the Jerusalem Municipality said is a show of support for diplomatic dialogue between the countries. Reuters

A person holds a Ukrainian flag during an anti-war demonstration at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany. Reuters

A Ukrainian soldier takes cover as people flee Irpin. AFP

Ukrainians shelter in an underground train station during the day in Kyiv. EPA

A Ukrainian serviceman walks carefully with his weapon in the city of Irpin, near Kyiv. AFP

Ukrainian people flee the city of Irpin, north-west of Kyiv. AFP

Ukrainian servicemen carry an elderly woman on a stretcher from the city of Irpin. AFP

A girl plays games on her tablet inside a subway carriage being used as a bomb shelter in Kyiv. AFP

A Ukrainian firefighter drags a hose inside a large food products storage facility which was destroyed by an air strike on the outskirts of Kyiv. AP

Ukrainian troops with a Javelin anti-tank missile on the front line in the northern Kyiv region. Reuters

A woman carries her dog during an evacuation in Irpin. Reuters

A Ukrainian woman takes shelter in a metro station during the day in Kyiv. EPA

A member of the Ukrainian armed forces on patrol in Irpin. Reuters

A Ukrainian fighter takes cover behind a car in the city of Irpin. AFP

Firefighters at work after air strikes hit residential buildings in Chernihiv, northern Ukraine. AFP

A man wounded in an air strike is helped by medical staff in Novoiavorivsk, western Ukraine. Getty

The ruins of the Ukraine Hotel after recent shelling in Chernihiv. EPA

Meanwhile, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has set up a fund of €100bn ($109.6) to strengthen the country’s armed forces.

He told the Bundestag, that the urgency of the Ukraine crisis had forced Germany's decision to invest in the military.

“Germany was one of the most reluctant countries to go into this direction, but it did decide to increase dramatically its military expenditure and to abandon its pacifist policy [adopted after the Second World War], because as long as you have aggressive autocratic regimes in the world, like we do in Europe, you need to invest in defence,” he said.

EU sanctions on Russia 'will have an impact'

Mr Lenarcic said EU sanctions on Russia are effective in the mid and long term.

“They will have an impact. The Russian currency has fallen dramatically, investments stopped with the withdrawal of hundreds of European companies from Russia and more will come as long as this aggression continues,” he said.

In recent days, Russia has escalated its bombardment of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and launched new assaults on the southern port city of Mariupol.

On Tuesday, the leaders of three EU countries — Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovenia — visited Kyiv in a bold show of support, despite the danger.

Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa described the visit as sending the message that Ukraine is a European country that deserves to be accepted into the EU one day.

In its assessment of the military advances by Russia, the Pentagon says that the Russians depend on long-range fire to hit civilian targets inside Kyiv with increasing frequency but that their ground forces were making little to no progress around the country.

“This is not just bilateral issue between Russia and Ukraine,” said Mr Lenarcic. “It's not only a European issue either. This is a global issue because what's at stake is whether the world will be based on some fundamental rules or it will be a jungle.”