Scholz: Ukraine war putting EU unanimity system to test

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
29 Aug 2022 21:12

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday called on the EU for the creation of a common air defense system in Europe.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (AP)

On Monday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz vowed his country's backing for Ukraine and other EU candidates while highlighting the need for reforms in order for the union to grow to "30 or 36."

During a visit to the Czech Republic, Scholz gave a speech outlining his vision for the EU and stated that the "invasion of Ukraine by Russia" calls for a "European response to this watershed."

He urged the EU to lessen its "one-sided dependence," whether they be in the areas of the economy, energy, or defense, and called for a "geopolitical, sovereign, and expanding EU." The German chancellor emphasized that he was "dedicated" to the bloc's expansion, and that included the six countries of the western Balkans, Moldova, Georgia, and Ukraine.

A switch to a "majority voting" method would be necessary as the bloc grew, he argued, in order to avoid slowing down EU decision-making. The Ukraine war is already putting the unanimity system to the test at a time when prompt action is even more important, according to Scholz.

Read: EU should drop unanimity rule in foreign policy - Italy PM Draghi

He said, "Let's seek compromises together," and said that the sanctions policy might be one area where majority voting could be used.

Member states also had a third option, which he called "constructive abstention," in addition to the two alternatives of voting "yes" or "no."

Scholz: common air defense system is beneficial for EU security

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz advocated for a common air defense system and said during a speech at Charles University in Prague: "A jointly created air defense system in Europe would not only be cheaper and more effective than if each of us built our own expensive, very complex air defense system. It would be beneficial in terms of security for the whole of Europe".

Scholz further emphasized that it would be a security advantage for the whole of Europe and thus an example of what is meant when referring to fortifying the European side of NATO. Since the start of the war in Ukraine, a launch of sanctions against Russia has led to an economic crisis in the EU, with Germany suffering a massive brunt to its energy supply while providing Ukraine with weapons its own military does not have.

However, in June, Scholz announced that Germany will deliver an air defense system - the Iris T system - to Ukraine, capable of shielding a city from Russian air raids, attempting to reverse Germany's reputation that it has not been aiding Ukraine as it should. Still, last Friday, Scholz announced that Germany will not be supplying weapons to Ukraine that would allow for strikes on Russian territory.

"We have a considerable room for improvement in the area of Europe’s defense against threats from air and space. For this reason, Germany is going to significantly invest in air defense. At the same time, Germany will organize this future air defense in a way that our European neighbors can also participate in it if they want to. For instance, Poles, Balts, Dutch, Czechs, Slovaks or our Scandinavian partners," Scholz commented.