International politics EU leaders agree to replenish gas stocks and launch joint purchases: These decisions were made during Policy Super Week

EU and NATO leaders gathered for an international policy super week in Brussels. The intention was to hit the table with significant decisions that would bring hope to the war situation. How do decisions relate to expectations?

Brussels

European At their summit on Friday, EU leaders decided to prepare for a stagnation of energy from Russia. Among other things, the EU Commission is preparing joint purchases of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the same way that the EU procures coronavirus vaccines.

The rest of the week saw a real sum of international meetings in Brussels. In addition to EU leaders, leaders of the NATO Alliance and the G7 also met in the city on the same day. President of the United States Joe Biden began his visit to Europe with a conference tube.

The main topic of the meetings was clear. The leaders wanted to show their common and united support for Ukraine. For the United States, the meetings had three objectives: to support Ukraine, to have a common and firm front against Russia, and to support NATO’s eastern partners.

HS brought together the decisions made during the International Politics Super Week.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi spoke to participants in the G7 meeting via video link.

Ukraine received humanitarian aid, but not the large-scale arms aid it wanted

One of the main themes of the meeting week was support for Ukraine. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi kept emotional video calls NATO and EU meetings and called on member states for concrete assistance in defending Ukraine.

Ukraine’s hopes for large-scale new arms aid in particular remained unfulfilled.

Individual countries such as Finland, said they were sending this week more defense equipment and weapons to Ukraine.

NATO reiterated its position that it would not send its own troops or its own armaments to Ukraine and did not intend to establish a no-fly zone over Ukraine.

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In terms of humanitarian aid, the most significant new pledge was heard from the United States. The United States said it would provide $ 1 billion in humanitarian aid to Ukraine and receive 100,000 Ukrainian refugees. The aid also includes support for democracy in Ukraine with more than $ 300 million.

The EU has previously decided to provide € 1 billion from the European Peace Facility to Ukraine’s armed forces. Additional money has been promised from the so-called Solidarity Fund. The EU also supports EU countries fleeing Ukraine and receiving refugees.

NATO countries decided to send support to Ukraine to fight chemical, biological, radioactive and nuclear weapons. Ukraine will receive detection and protection equipment, medical supplies and training.

G7 leaders pledged to tackle food shortages, for example by facilitating food exports.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg spoke at a news conference before the meeting began on Wednesday.

NATO is increasing its forces in Eastern Europe

The summits were overshadowed by concerns that Russia might be planning to use chemical or biological weapons.

According to President Biden, NATO will respond if used. NATO and the United States are making a contingency plan, a White House security adviser said Reuters on Friday.

NATO announced that it would strengthen the equipment of its eastern member states and reorganize militarily. The details will be decided at the June summit. On Thursday, leaders decided on four new combat divisions. The departments will be located in Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Slovakia.

EU leaders reaffirmed the EU fresh defense policy strategy ie the “strategic compass” in EU language. It sets targets for EU defense cooperation for the next five to ten years. The document was approved by EU foreign ministers earlier this week.

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The key content of the compass is that the EU is trying to put itself in the so-called rapid reaction force. The difference between the 5,000-strong force and the former is that they are not only on standby, but also starting to train together.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau discussed before the group photo was taken.

Sanctions against Russia lacked new concreteness

Sanctions against Russia were not concreted at the EU meeting.

EU leaders discussed new personal sanctions and closing the “loopholes” in previous rounds of sanctions. The aim is to ensure that member states do not go beyond sanctions. A new round of sanctions is under way.

The US and the EU have agreed on a joint system to enforce sanctions. China, for example, would be under scrutiny.

Read more: President Biden: Europe must prepare for long sanctions – NATO responds if Russia uses chemical or biological weapons

The United States imposed sanctions on more than 400 individuals and operators. The sanctions target more than 300 members of the Duma.

European Union leaders discussed the dependence on Russian energy for a long time, but no decisions were made on import bans.

The obligation of EU countries to store natural gas is advancing

One of the most difficult issues on the table at the EU summit was the effort to reduce dependence on Russian energy. In addition, they discussed ways to support their citizens and businesses due to the sharp rise in energy prices.

EU leaders decided on two measures: joint gas purchases and the filling of gas stocks. Stock replenishment should start as soon as possible.

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Gas stocks will help the European Union better prepare for future gas price spikes and the depletion of Russian gas.

EU countries should ensure that their gas reserves are 80% full. In the following years, the storage obligation will rise to 90%.

Finland does not have its own liquefied natural gas reserves, but it can co-operate with those countries that have reserves. For Finland The nearest warehouses are located in the Baltics.

On Friday, the United States and the EU said they had agreed to supply more liquefied natural gas to Europe.

Prime Minister Sanna Marin (SD) before the meeting on Thursday.

EU launches joint gas purchases

EU countries outlined that they would start joint gas purchases in the same way they bought coronavirus vaccines together.

The Commission organizes joint purchasing to prevent individual Member States from competing with each other for gas contracts. For example Germany has already approached Qatar to buy lng from the country.

EU leaders will discuss a number of ways to alleviate consumers’ energy plight.

No common electricity price cap was decided, but Spain and Portugal were given the freedom to set the price of electricity on their own markets. The countries wanted to decouple the price of electricity from the price of the most expensive method of production, ie natural gas, and prevent prices from rising above a certain threshold.

A rare exception was allowed for two countries under the President of the Commission Ursula von der Leyenin because a significant share of their electricity production comes from renewable energy and the electricity market has little connection to the rest of Europe.

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