2023-10-05 22:10:22
The Alhambra hosted a high-profile meeting this Thursday. More than forty European leaders met in Granada at the conclave of the European Political Community with the aim of demonstrating their support for Ukraine and solid international unity against Russia. They achieved it halfway. The unexpected presence of the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, captured all the spotlights, with a call to “save European unity in the face of Russia.” The third meeting of this forum, however, was marred by the absences of Turkey and Armenia and the lack of diplomatic contacts to try to resolve the conflicts between Serbia and Kosovo, as well as between Armenians and Azerbaijanis.
Zelensky was the undoubted star of a meeting that combines politics, diplomacy and a spirit informal enough to facilitate the smoothing of rough spots and closer contacts between the delegations. The congress is open and brings together not only the Twenty-Seven, but other governments of the Old Continent with the only exception of Russia and Belarus. The Ukrainian leader announced his arrival in Granada early in the morning with a central message: “Saving European unity in the face of Russia is one of our greatest challenges.” In his opinion, Moscow will “attack with all means” with the aim of destabilizing Europe, making Ukraine the continent’s “first line of defense.”
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Aware of the fissures that the community bloc registers regarding the continuity of support for Kiev, Zelensky insisted on instilling in the leaders the idea that the entire continent is threatened by Moscow and that his country is the only possible safeguard. “We need artillery, long-range and anti-aircraft missiles and drones to ensure that the war does not spread to any other European country,” he said after admitting that, without the support of Western arsenals, Ukraine would not be able to confront the invader and he could “recover its military power” by 2028. Although he did not present any evidence or indication, Zelensky maintained that the Kremlin already has its sights set on the Baltic countries and other regions. “A clear signal is needed, an indisputable defeat of Russia,” he demanded.
The Ukrainian president held bilateral meetings with the Frenchman Emmanuel Macron, the Italian Giorgia Meloni and the acting president of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, who once again conveyed his commitment to Kiev. The meeting took place in “a very cordial atmosphere” and, according to La Moncloa, Spain committed to sending more weapons (including six ‘Hawk’ missile launchers) and mine deactivation equipment. He worries about Ukraine’s rearmament in the event of a Russian offensive this winter.
«We have to prepare to welcome the countries that have been knocking on Europe’s doors for some time»
Pedro Sanchez
President of the goverment
“The EU firmly supports Ukraine, but cannot fill the US gap. Washington’s support is essential”
Joseph Borrell
Head of European diplomacy
«Russia wants us to get tired, but we must show them that we will not. “Countries that can have to help kyiv more.”
Kaja Kalla
Estonian Prime Minister
Since the beginning of the invasion, the EU has been one of Kiev’s main allies and now proposes to allocate an additional 50 billion euros to help the country until 2027. However, regarding the decision of the United States Congress not to support the aid funds to Ukraine, the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, assured this Thursday that the community bloc “cannot fill the gap of the United States. It is essential that Washington continues to support Kiev.” Zelensky, for his part, expressed confidence that American aid will continue to arrive. “Joe Biden conveyed his full support to me,” he concluded.
The presence of the Ukrainian leader in Granada also sought to defend his country’s accession to the European Union. The expansion of the current club will be one of the central debates at this Friday’s summit. Sánchez, in his capacity as rotating president of the EU Council, defended that the partners “must prepare to welcome all those countries that have been knocking on Europe’s doors for some time.”
47 European leaders
Virtually everyone from the Old Continent met in Granada except the Turk, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who canceled his attendance at the last minute, and Ilham Aliyev, president of Azerbaijan.
The war has opened the door to a possible reform of the Union, which wants to be prepared to welcome the candidate countries for membership (Albania, Bosnia, Moldova, Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Ukraine and Turkey). And although the Twenty-Seven avoid establishing deadlines for this process, they work with the threshold of 2030 as an indicative date. Meanwhile, Ukraine is working on the reforms necessary to join the bloc, especially the fight against corruption, and the European Commission is expected to issue a report on its progress this month.
Lost opportunities
The absences at the conference of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, cooled expectations of maintaining diplomatic contacts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Borrell regretted that “we cannot talk” about the situation in the region, although he defended the European will to “prevent this conflict from escalating and politically stabilize Armenia.” European Council President Charles Michel announced that the two leaders will meet later this month in Brussels.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, “firmly” condemned the military operation in Nagorno Karabakh and called for “a peaceful solution to be sought.” In addition, she announced that the EU will double humanitarian aid to the country – up to 10.4 million euros – to which they will add another 15 million euros in direct budget support.
Another of the great hopes was that the international forum would serve to produce contacts between Serbia and Kosovo, but the latter chose to send its president, Vjosa Osmani – a position of a ceremonial nature – instead of its prime minister, Albin Kurti. Brussels has tried to mediate in the conflict between the two regions, which reached a new peak of tensions in June. In Granada, Osmani called on member states to adopt sanctions against Serbia to avoid “acts of aggression” against the former Serbian province.
This Thursday’s summit was also decaffeinated by the lack of a final press conference. Sánchez was expected to appear alongside the hosts of the previous meetings of this format, Moldova and the United Kingdom. But in mid-afternoon it was announced that it would not take place due to the absence of the British ‘premier’, Rishi Sunak, who left early to attend to various matters in his country. He did have time to organize a parallel meeting on migration with the Italian prime minister. And it is expected that this issue will occupy part of the debate this Friday.
EFE
King Felipe VI meets with the president of Ukraine at the Alhambra
King Felipe VI held a meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky in the premises of the Alhambra. Also present at the meeting, on the Spanish side, were the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares; like the head of the King’s House, Jaime Alfonsín. The Ukrainian president was accompanied by his Foreign Minister, Dimitro Kuleba.
The interview followed the one held by Zelensky during the morning with Pedro Sánchez. In it, the head of the Executive has offered “new anti-aircraft and anti-drone systems” as well as specialized training in them to the Ukrainian military, in addition to new demining equipment.
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