The European Union has approved a fresh set of sanctions against Russia aimed at its clandestine fleet of oil tankers and imposing a ban on liquefied natural gas imports. Additionally, EU leaders have endorsed a strategy called Readiness 2030 to bolster Europe’s defense capabilities against external threats by the end of the decade.
The Readiness 2030 initiative was crafted in response to concerns about Russia testing the defense systems of the 27-nation bloc.
During a summit in Brussels, leaders highlighted the urgency of addressing Russia’s aggressive actions towards Ukraine and the resulting security implications on a global scale. They emphasized the need for national governments to swiftly progress on specific projects aligned with the new plan set by the European Commission, the EU’s executive body.
An immediate focus will be on implementing drone defense systems to identify, monitor, and disable unauthorized drones, following recent airspace violations across Europe, some occurring near the borders with Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine.
The European Drone Defence Initiative, a critical component of the broader Eastern Flank Watch program, aims to enhance defenses along Europe’s eastern borders on land, in the Baltic and Black seas, as well as in the airspace, particularly against hybrid threats.
The European Commission estimates that EU defense expenditure for the current year will reach approximately 392 billion euros ($637 billion Cdn), nearly double the figure from four years ago before Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine.
It anticipates that defense spending over the next decade could total around 3.4 trillion euros ($5.5 trillion Cdn) and is considering proposing an increase in the EU’s long-term defense budget to support this.
Energy-related Offensives
The sanctions form part of a broader strategy to cut off the financial resources fueling Russia’s Ukraine incursion and compel President Vladimir Putin to engage in negotiations to end the conflict. However, Russian state media has dismissed the sanctions as largely ineffective.
The sanctions represent a victory for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has persistently advocated for more comprehensive international sanctions against Russia for its aggression towards Ukraine.
Expressing his approval in Brussels, Zelenskyy remarked on the significance of the sanctions, stating, “We waited for this. God bless, it will work. And this is very important.”