The confrontation between Russia and the West is taking place in Ukraine. In recent weeks, the military duel has experienced a real escalation. The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, took the floor during the Ambassadors’ Conference and made it clear that Europe will have to defend Ukraine until the end of the conflict, because it is not just Donbass and Crimea at stake, but the entire world balances. “The war in Ukraine will be decided in the first place by the courageous Ukrainian fighters in Kherson, in Kharkiv and along the entire front line. But also our global response to Russia’s aggression. We need every continent to rise up in defense of the rule-based order. Because the rule-based order belongs to every nation in the world. The war in Ukraine is not just a European war. It is a war for the future of the whole world. Thus, the horizon of Europe can only be the whole world».
The prospects for the future put the race for energy resources directly into question. «Lithium or rare earth metals are vital for our green and digital transition – continued von der Leyen – No wind turbines, no solar panels without these raw materials. Demand will increase exponentially. This is good news because it shows that the green transition is underway. The bad news is that one country dominates the global market. This is China. In addition, these resources must always be sourced responsibly, both for the environment and for local communities. So part of the solution is to strengthen our cooperation with like-minded partners like Canada, Chile or Australia.”
The President of the European Commission also spoke about the consequences of the conflict on the food supply. “Millions of people in the Middle East and North Africa are now facing the consequences of Putin’s war on Ukrainian plantations. It is to face this crisis that we create ways of solidarity for Ukrainian exports. More than 10 million tons of wheat, oilseeds and other Ukrainian products have already been exported through our solidarity routes. Today, more than 60% of Ukraine’s food exports depend on the corridors. And 30% of Ukraine’s grain exports will go to low- and middle-income countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Let’s be clear: Putin created the food crisis. And it is Europe that is working to solve it.”
Source: IL Tempo
Emma Fitzgerald is an accomplished political journalist and author at The Nation View. With a background in political science and international relations, she has a deep understanding of the political landscape and the forces that shape it.
