European Union | Foreign Minister Valtonen in Brussels: Russia remains a long-term strategic threat

of the EU be prepared for the fact that Russia will unfortunately remain a long-term strategic threat, the foreign minister believes Elina Valtonen (cook).

“Therefore, it is extremely important that we help Ukraine immediately and credibly in the long term. But of course also for our own sake, we need to increase our defense industry and defense capabilities,” he said.

Valtonen commented on the matter to the media when he arrived at the meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.

According to Valtonen, the volume in supporting Ukraine must be increased and defense material must still be available to Ukraine, first of all from warehouses. He also considered that the European Peace Fund should be able to be recapitalized with money intended for Ukraine.

The peace fund has reimbursed the member countries for, among other things, their armed support to Ukraine, but in practice the fund has been working only on paper for a long time in supporting Ukraine. Due to Hungary's opposition, it has not been possible to release the tranches replacing Ukraine's arms aid for about a year, and in addition, Germany would like a complete overhaul of the fund's rules before its additional capitalization.

EU countries have still continued bilateral arms aid to Ukraine.

The meeting the main issue on Monday is the situation in the Middle East, about which the foreign ministers of the region are to be consulted, for example from Israel and the Palestinian Authority. In several comments before the meeting, thoughts about the two-state model were still heard, even though the actors in the region have drifted further and further away from it.

EU High Representative Josep Borrell said before the meeting that now countries directly involved in the conflict will arrive. He again raised the need for humanitarian aid to Gaza, the ever-increasing number of casualties in Gaza, and the two-state model.

Borrell said that there have already been about 25,000 casualties in Gaza, 70 percent of whom are women and children. Along with the condemnation of Hamas terrorism, criticism of Israel in particular has intensified, which has been heard and was heard again in Borrell's speeches as well.

“Destroying Hamas is definitely not what they are doing. Because they are sowing hatred for generations,” Borrell said of Israel's actions.

The spread of the conflict in the region is also a growing concern in Europe.

The two-state model was also brought up by several foreign ministers when they arrived at the meeting, including Belgium, the country holding the presidency of the Council of the EU Hadja Lahbib and Valtonen. Lahbib said he would reiterate the view on Monday to both Israeli and Palestinian Authority ministers.

Valtonen also said that innocent civilians are even dying of hunger in the area, which he says cannot be allowed.

“We need to make sure we get humanitarian corridors and a humanitarian ceasefire so that aid can get there,” he said.