Editorial
Le Monde
With Donald Trump’s inauguration and the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine approaching, the conflict is intensifying. It is up to the most determined European countries to urgently prepare a response to a possible withdrawal of US support.
Published yesterday at 11:31 am (Paris) 2 min read Lire en français
Over the past month, the war Russia has been waging in Ukraine has moved away from the scenario of a war of attrition into a particularly perilous phase. Increasing in intensity, the fighting comes as part of a deliberate escalation strategy, triggered by Russia’s call for North Korean troops to come to their rescue in October.
In response, the United States authorized Kyiv to strike military targets within Russian territory using long-range missiles supplied by Ukraine’s Western allies – an authorization that Ukrainian forces immediately put into practice.
Moscow retaliated by firing a latest-generation intermediate-range ballistic missile at the Ukrainian town of Dnipro. In a solemn address on television, President Vladimir Putin, who has modified his country’s nuclear doctrine to lower the threshold for using such weapons, accused the West of “globalizing” the conflict.
These statements from the Kremlin obviously contain an element of posturing and a desire to intimidate at a time when Washington is preparing for radical political change with the upcoming inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump on January 20. Meanwhile, Kyiv has also begun a desperate attempt to hold the front line, hoping to avoid approaching any potential negotiations from a position of weakness. For the same strategic reason, Russian forces have adopted an increasingly aggressive stance.
The battle is thus raging in the Russian region of Kursk, where the Ukrainian army made a surprise incursion in August, conquering territory that Kyiv would like to use as a bargaining chip in future negotiations. Backed by North Korean soldiers, Russian forces have reportedly regained control of half the territory captured by Ukraine this summer, according to a Ukrainian diplomatic source.
No time to lose
This sudden acceleration of the conflict, coupled with uncertainty over Trump’s intentions – having promised to end the war without specifying how – has forced Europeans to redefine their stance. In fact, the long-avoided moment of truth has arrived, forcing Europeans to confront the reality that this war is, above all, a European conflict.
Unsurprisingly, they are very divided on the approach they should take. However, time is running out: Ukrainian forces are struggling, civilians are once again enduring heavy Russian bombardment and energy infrastructure is being systematically destroyed. Without waiting to find out what the Trump administration’s plan is, Europe must urgently organize to support Ukraine and prepare for a US-led Russian-Ukrainian negotiation aimed at ending the active phase of the war – a negotiation for which Putin currently shows no willingness.
Some European nations have already started: Countries most determined to face up to the Russian threat – such as France, the United Kingdom, Poland, the Nordic countries and the Baltic states – are currently holding discussions, involving Kyiv, on measures to be taken to offset a possible US withdrawal from Ukraine. Proposals under consideration include sending European military personnel to Ukraine and prioritizing the reinforcement of the defense industry. These nations must continue their efforts, even in the absence of a broader European consensus, and demand they have a seat at the table when discussions on ending hostilities are finally discussed.
Le Monde
Translation of an original article published in French on lemonde.fr; the publisher may only be liable for the French version.
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