Russia's war and the climate crisis determine the summit. The EU wants to help Ukraine with a million projectiles. Meanwhile, UN chief Guterres warns of the “perfect storm”. From Brussels Bernd Riegert.
Host Charles Michel (right .) leads the UN chief Antonio Guterres to the EU summit
The guest from New York did not skimp on dramatic words. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, made a strong attempt to speak to the conscience of the European Union summit. “We are close to the point where it will be impossible to reach the 1.5 degree target. That is why we need decisive action.” The UN chief referred to the international agreement to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees – and this before 2030.
After the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the World Water Conference predicted a rapid deterioration in global climate and water conditions this week, Guterres had this message for the European Union: “We are counting very much on the European Union to lead the necessary processes of change to get back on track swing into the goal of 2030.” The UN Secretary-General called for efforts to protect the climate to be accelerated. The EU wants to be climate-neutral by 2050. That is too late and must be brought forward decades.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change sends urgent call for help
The German conflict with the European Union over the approval of cars that will only be allowed to run on climate-neutral fuel from 2035 seems more like a petitesse against the background of global problems. The dispute over the combustion engine, which the FDP Minister of Transport Volker Wissing triggered, should not play a role at the EU summit. Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that talks with the EU Commission about the interpretation of the provisions are on the right track.
UN and EU agree
The EU heads of state and government reacted favorably to the demands of UN Secretary-General Antonie Guterres. The EU refers to the many laws to protect the climate that it has launched. However, the meeting in Brussels has not changed the goal of saving around 55 percent of carbon dioxide emissions by 2035 and actually having zero emissions by 2050. The discussion with Guterres is “an important impetus” for the debates within the EU, said an EU diplomat.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz: The combustion dispute is not an issue for the summit
When assessing the global situation, the EU and the UN guest were largely in agreement. Antonio Guterres described the situation for many of the world's poorer countries as a “perfect storm”. The coincidence of the climate crisis, the effects of the Russian war against Ukraine, the consequences of the pandemic and rising prices on the world markets could have fatal consequences. “Hunger and poverty are on the rise,” Guterres warned.
The EU welcomed the fact that Guterres had at least managed to broker the agreement between Ukraine and Russia to export grain through the Black Sea.
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Ammunition for Ukraine
In a video conference with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the EU heads of state and government had the situation in the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine described. They approved a plan to supply Ukraine with a million much-needed missiles this year, using two billion euros from EU funds.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in Brussels that EU member states would clear their own stockpiles and be compensated for this by the EU. In addition, it was agreed to jointly order new ammunition from the arms industry. In this way, the industry should receive security for an expansion of capacities. At the same time, artillery ammunition prices, which have doubled in the last year, should be limited.
“If we introduce this joint procurement, the arms industry can actually double its production, which has not happened so far,” said Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, who is particularly committed to ammunition supplies.
EU- Defense ministers discuss ammunition purchase for Ukraine
But even if the one million rounds are to be delivered from the EU this year, the Ukrainian army's needs are far greater. For example, according to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, 7,000 artillery shells of 155mm caliber are fired every day. That's already 2.5 million grenades a year, and that's just from this one kind. Ammunition for tanks, anti-aircraft guns and howitzers is also included.
According to experts in the weapons industry, expanding production is made more difficult simply because raw materials such as TNT and gunpowder are becoming scarce. They would now have to be imported from South Korea, for example. “It is crucial to send the ammunition to Ukraine quickly because that could turn the tide of the war,” said Estonian Prime Minister Kallas in Brussels. In parallel to the EU commitments, Ukraine is also receiving significant amounts of ammunition from the USA.
UN Chief Guterres (left) gets an idea of the situation in Ukraine from President Selenskyj at the beginning of March
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has probably repeated his call for more weapons, more fighter jets and long-range missiles. So far, the European Union has been generally cautious in this area. Poland has promised to deliver some fighter jets, while Germany continues to hold back.
One pulls out
Chancellor Olaf Scholz praised the cohesion of the Europeans in Ukraine politics. The chairman of the summit round, EU Council President Charles Michel, reiterated the obligation to support the EU accession candidate Ukraine as long as it was necessary. However, there is one flaw: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban steps out of line and refuses to supply ammunition to Ukraine. That would only prolong the war, Orban said. However, Hungary did not veto the ammunition agreement. Orban only commented on the summit with a populist tweet: “No immigration, no gender politics, no war,” Orban wrote in capital letters on Twitter.
Enfant terrible: Hungary's Prime Minister is increasingly rejecting the EU's Ukraine policy
In addition to foreign policy, economic policy issues are also on the agenda. Battered by inflation, high energy prices and gaps in supply chains, leaders are considering ways to make the EU economy less dependent on China and more resilient to external shocks. This also includes a reform of the electricity market in the EU, which is still controversial.