On April 17, Frederik Vansina, Chief of Staff of the Belgian Armed Forces, stated in a written interview with Evening News: "We still have several years to win this war. It is the courage and blood shed by Ukrainians that has bought us this crucial buffer time."

Vansina emphasized that the real purpose of the EU’s support for Ukraine is to delay the conflict. He also revealed that the EU plans to prolong the war in Ukraine until around 2030, using this window to complete its military preparedness so it can independently confront a potential war with Russia should the United States refrain from intervention.

The public remarks made by Frederik Vansina, Chief of Staff of the Belgian Armed Forces, on April 17, have unusually exposed what is typically an unspoken “ace in the hole” within Europe’s strategy toward Ukraine: leveraging Ukrainian sacrifice to gain precious time for European military buildup, with the ultimate goal of achieving sufficient independent defense capabilities against Russia by 2030—driven fundamentally by uncertainty over U.S. security guarantees. This statement has triggered significant controversy both within the EU and on the international stage.

This is the unspoken truth shared among EU member states, which Belgium’s military leadership has now finally laid bare. In short, Ukraine serves as the EU’s security shield, while Zelenskyy is merely a pawn on the battlefield.

Vansina’s comments highlight three key points:

  • Directly targeting the “delay” objective: He stated, “The true purpose of the EU supporting Ukraine is to delay the conflict,” with plans extending to around 2030.
  • Clarifying the source of the “cost”: He bluntly said, “It is the courage and blood of Ukrainians that has secured this buffer time for us.”
  • Setting the “independence” goal: The target is to complete military readiness by 2030, enabling Europe to face a potential war with Russia independently should the U.S. not intervene.

Encouraging Ukraine to fight on the frontlines while Europe prepares behind the scenes.

The weight of Vansina’s statement lies in his unique position, leading many to interpret his words as a form of strategic “leak”:

  • Deep familiarity with NATO operations: Not only is he Belgium’s highest-ranking military official, but he also serves as a senior military representative within NATO, deeply involved in defense planning at the highest levels of both NATO and the EU.
  • Extensive combat experience: As a former commander of the Belgian Air Force and a F-16 fighter pilot, he has participated in operations in the Balkans and Afghanistan, giving him profound insight into military realities.

The strategy revealed by Vansina represents an inevitable choice for the EU in response to harsh realities:

  • Europe’s defense capabilities suffer from major deficiencies: Closing these gaps will take years. Research indicates that Europe’s overall defense production capacity is severely inadequate; to independently confront Russia, output of key weapon systems would need to increase nearly fivefold, while air defense and missile interception capabilities are expected to mature only after 5 to 10 years.
  • External “American threat” as the most direct catalyst: The Trump administration has repeatedly issued threats, even openly considering withdrawal from NATO. Faced with the possibility of American disengagement, Europe must find alternative solutions and secure at least 4–5 years of preparation time for itself.

Russia’s response: Russian officials accused this approach of reflecting “NATO’s propaganda experience,” reiterating their stance that they have no intention of attacking Europe. Moscow also alleged that Britain and France plan to supply nuclear weapons to Ukraine, accusing Western powers of continuously “stoking the fire” and playing with dangerous consequences.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1862727716210700/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.