JRL NEWSWATCH: “Europe is at last adjusting to the new reality in Ukraine” – Financial Times

“… This was going to be a long war that Russia would do everything to win, and the west was not ready. This reality has now been sinking in, exposing new tensions among western leaders about how to confront it. … Hampered by an excruciating shortage of ammunition and artillery that its allies were too slow to provide, Ukraine’s troops were in a precarious position. … [Amidst U.S. delays] the EU managed to pass its own €50bn aid package. Britain, France and Germany rushed to sign bilateral security agreements with Ukraine. … [A] conjunction of events has finally led to a shift in most European capitals about the [war’s] direction … and what it means for the future of the continent. … [T]his has been clear for some time to eastern and northern European leaders. … France and Germany still needed to take a leap forward. The French discourse on Ukraine has notably evolved [in 2024]. The goal now is not only to support Ukraine, but also to protect Europe from Russia. …”

France hosted an international conference supporting Ukraine on Feb. 26, in Paris, to demonstrate European unity and determination.

Click here for: “Europe is at last adjusting to the new reality in Ukraine; The failure of Kyiv’s counteroffensive has led to a reckoning in western capitals” – Financial Times: Sylvie Kauffmann