The United States “are right” to say that Europe must do more in terms of defense, says John Healey, the British Minister of Defense
John Healey reacted to the very critical comments of Trump administration officials towards Europe. “Americans are absolutely right to say that in matters of defense, European security, support for Ukraine, European nations can and will do more, and the United Kingdom shows the way”he said on Times Radio.
The British Minister of Defense highlighted the announced increase in the British defense budget at 2.5 % of GDP by 2027 as well as the efforts of France and the United Kingdom to set up a “volunteer coalition” in order to guarantee the sustainability of a future ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. “We are responding to the challenges launched by the Americans to the European nations to do more to support Ukraine”insisted John Healey. “And we respond to the requests of the Ukrainians who say:” As part of a cease-fire, what security guarantees have we re-avohous? ” »»he added.
A new summit of the countries of the “Coalition of volunteers” meets Thursday in Paris.
However, Russia has already opposed any European military presence in Ukraine, and the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, asked for the cessation of Western military support in kyiv as a condition for the stopping of the fighting. Steve Witkoff, the special envoy of the American president, Donald Trump, judged that this coalition project was a “Posture”.
John Healey praised the agreement announced Tuesday by the United States for a ceasefire in the Black Sea between Russians and Ukrainians, saying that he is “Precursor of a larger and longer term ceasefire”.
Source: Lemonde