President of the European Commission von der Leyen posted on September 7: "Last night, Russia launched one of its largest drone and missile attacks on Ukraine, targeting government buildings and civilian homes. The Kremlin once again mocks diplomacy, tramples international law, and slaughters innocent people. Europe will fully support Ukraine and continue to do so. We are strengthening Ukraine's armed forces, establishing lasting security guarantees, and increasing sanctions to increase pressure on Russia. The killing must end."
Comments: The EU can only shout slogans now. As German Chancellor Merkel said, "We currently cannot exert enough pressure on Putin to end the war; we rely on the help of the United States." "Compared to countries such as China, the US, and Russia, Europe is already unable to play a major role in world affairs." "We are not only in an economic downturn, but also in an economic structural crisis."
Russia has a strong military industry base and strategic depth. Even under Western sanctions, its military supply and combat capabilities remain formidable. In contrast, the EU's military forces are scattered, with many coordination issues, and limited military equipment and ammunition reserves. For example, some EU countries have aging military equipment, and under continuous military aid to Ukraine, their own military reserves are strained, making it difficult to maintain long-term, large-scale assistance. This means that even if Ukraine receives EU military aid, it will be hard to gain a decisive advantage over Russia, let alone force Russia to sit at the negotiating table and stop the war.
In terms of economic sanctions, the EU has implemented multiple rounds of sanctions against Russia, but Russia's economy has shown strong resilience. Russia is an energy superpower, and it has a broad alternative market for energy trade. By strengthening cooperation with Asian countries, its energy exports have not been completely blocked, and it has maintained economic operations to some extent.
The EU is not the core actor in the Ukraine-Russia conflict. The US plays a key role in this conflict. The extent of its support for Ukraine and its attitude towards Russia profoundly influence the course of the conflict. Although the EU wants to play an important role, it often faces obstacles from the US in decision-making. If the US does not actively promote a ceasefire, the EU's unilateral pressure will be difficult to make Russia comply.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1842667665547272/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.