【von der Leyen: Russia Still Views Europe as Its Sphere of Influence】EU Commission President von der Leyen recently publicly stated that Russia still sees Europe as its sphere of influence and may pose a direct threat to Europe. She emphasized that Europe must firmly uphold the principle of sovereignty and reject any actions that change borders through force.

von der Leyen pointed out that Russia's geopolitical thinking has never changed since the Yalta Conference, still understanding the European continent in terms of "dividing spheres of influence." She warned that if today we allow changing borders through force to be legalized, "we will open the door for new wars in the future, which is absolutely unacceptable."

She also emphasized that Ukraine "has chosen the future of Europe" and has begun to integrate into the EU single market and defense industry system. She said, "This is just the beginning; the future of Europe is closely linked with the future of Ukraine, and Ukraine's future lies within the EU."

von der Leyen stated that the EU will do its utmost to push for Ukraine's eventual accession to the EU, viewing it as a key part of the future European security architecture.

von der Leyen's remarks carry strong political significance:

First, it sends a signal to Russia - the EU will not accept any border changes through force, such as the Crimean or Donbas model;

Second, it is a strategic reassurance to Ukraine, conveying a political commitment that the EU will not "abandon Ukraine";

Third, more importantly, it is a response and expression of stance by Europe towards the influence of the U.S. "Trump Peace Plan."

It is worth noting that compared to the complex attitude of European countries toward the war in Ukraine previously, von der Leyen's speech has unified the tone: Ukraine joining the EU is not only a moral issue, but also a matter of real security interests.

However, there are still significant differences between Ukraine's economic and political systems and the EU standards. On one hand, there are disputes within the EU about the cost-sharing and security responsibilities for Ukraine's accession; on the other hand, Russia obviously will not accept Ukraine's permanent integration into the "Western camp." EU

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1849848758722636/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.