Dave Keating Profile picture
Mar 21 5 tweets 5 min read
Entering the summit of 🇪🇺 defence ministers in Brussels, 🇩🇪German Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht says the EU's new rapid military deployment capability will be the "military heart" of the new European security policy.

It's a "clear signal" to 🇷🇺Russia, she says.
🇫🇮Finland's Defence Minister Antti Kaikkonen says the #UkraineWar means there must be "more cooperation" in 🇪🇺EU defence, and "more steps forward".

"I hope we get results today, and later this week."

#Finland is not in #NATO but has recently been participating in NATO summits.
The defence minister of 🇸🇪#Sweden, also not in #NATO but recently in meetings, sounds same tone on the need for 🇪🇺EU to coordinate its military response.

He also echoes other ministers today on #Mariupol: "What Putin and the Russian government are doing is a repeated #WarCrime"
🇱🇺#Luxembourg's defence minister says that if the #StrategicCompass is adopted today (plan for new 🇪🇺 military powers) it will be "a historic moment...at a crucial moment of EU defence, with the Russian aggression against #Ukraine"
🇩🇪FM @ABaerbock said entering the summit that there needs to be greater burden sharing of #UkraineRefugees, not just in 🇪🇺 but also across the Atlantic.

A likely reference to 🇺🇸&🇬🇧 who are not allowing in 🇺🇦 refugees as the EU is and are requiring difficult to obtain visas.

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More from @DaveKeating

Mar 21
🇪🇺 foreign affairs ministers have just started their meeting here in Brussels to discuss possible new #RussiaSanctions.

Poland is calling for a "complete trade blockade" including energy. That remains a tall ask.
"Today will be a very long day," says EU foreign affairs chief @JosepBorrellF.

"Russia is really doing a lot of #WarCrimes. That's the word, I have to say that. What's happening in #Mariupol is a massive war crime - destroying everything."
"Europe cannot give an impression of fatigue," says #Lithuania FM Landsbergis entering #FAC. "We cannot get tired of imposing sanctions"

"There's a feeling in the room to sit down & take a breath. I think that's a bad message"

It's "unavoidable" that they talk about an #OilBan.
Read 7 tweets
Mar 16
This is a big step and will be hugely important for keeping the lights on in #Ukraine in the weeks to come, but it doesn't actually mean Ukraine is now in the EU Energy Union.

There are several non-EU countries in the continental grid, and several EU countries not in it. Image
It's also important to point out that #Ukraine has been scheduled to join the continental Europe electricity grid in 2022 for years.

Huge work was put into speeding up the connection over past week because of the urgency in getting Ukraine other ⚡️ flows right now.
I see politicians in both 🇺🇦 & 🇪🇺 suggesting this link-up means more than it really does.

It's hugely important for #Ukraine right at this moment, but it doesn't really say anything about Ukraine's future in or out of the EU long term.
Read 4 tweets
Mar 15
Breaking: 3 🇪🇺 prime ministers will be in 🇺🇦Kiev today in a surprise visit: from 🇵🇱Poland, 🇨🇿Czechia & 🇸🇮Slovenia.

Will the 🇷🇺Russians dare to continue their attack on the capital while there are EU prime ministers in it?
nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/c…
It seems to me there is a very high risk of the EU prime ministers becoming trapped in Kiev.

A 36-hour curfew is starting today, the mayor just announced.
Other EU perm reps here in Brussels privately fuming about this visit, which risks being the “spark for World War 3” as one official put it.

It was apparently both uncoordinated with other allies and, astonishingly, pre-announced before they left on the train across Ukraine.
Read 7 tweets
Mar 15
Incredible bravery from this woman, who was an editor at Russian state broadcaster Channel One.

She was subsequently taken into custody and is in a police station in Moscow, according to news agency TASS.
Marina was prepared for the fate that awaited her for speaking out.

She recorded this video before interrupting the Russian news broadcast.
"Unfortunately, for the last several years I worked at Channel One, promoting Kremlin propaganda and for that I am very ashamed right now," Marina says.

"I allowed the Russian people to be zombified. We stayed quiet when all of this was just getting started in 2014."
Read 4 tweets
Feb 28
Speaking after the emergency meeting of 🇪🇺 defence ministers EU High Rep @JosepBorrellF, says ministers agreed to provide #Ukraine with satellite intelligene to localize Russian troop movements.

“We are mobilizing our satellite center, which is based in Madrid." Image
Defence ministers were convened because "once the political decision [for the EU to arm Ukraine] was taken yesterday, it's a matter of defence policy and it's up to the ministers to implement these measures and use this funding," says Borrell.
"The military staff of the European Union have provided us with a value assessment of the situation, gathering all the intelligence information that the members states contribute," says Borrell.

"The Russian military campaign is becoming more ruthless." Image
Read 7 tweets
Feb 28
It isn't just foreign affairs and defence ministers meeting today, EU energy ministers are also meeting for an emergency discussion on energy supplies.

Irish Energy minister Eamon Ryan upon arriving that they're trying to sync EU electricity system with Ukraine.
Belgian Energy minister Tinne Van der Straeten acknowledges that the ministers can't end the EU's dependence on Russian oil & gas overnight.

But they need to “act on the short term to make the energy transition happen at the medium term” and guarantee the EU's strategic autonomy
"Our reliance on fossil fuels is costing us dear...in what's happening with Russia today," says 🇮🇪 Energy Minister Eamon Ryan.

"🇺🇸 is sending €350m of arms to 🇺🇦. But every day we 🇪🇺 spend €350m [on energy] which we give to 🇷🇺, which they invest in arms dropping on 🇺🇦."
Read 5 tweets

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