Ukraine's betrayal would be the death knell of the European project

In an article published in "Le Monde", a group of personalities and citizens, including Daniel Cohn-Bendit, Ariane Mnouchkine, General Vincent Desportes and Adam Michnik, calls for a coalition of European states to be set up to agree on a number of measures that are vital for a country that defends its freedom and protects ours.

Le Monde

The Jean Monnet Association is a signatory to this forum and is represented by OLivier VédrineDirector.

These are anxious times in Ukraine. The Russian army, with a military budget of €106 billion, which it wants to increase to €135 billion by 2025, is continuing its invasion at the cost of tens of thousands of deaths and the systematic destruction of Ukraine's vital infrastructure: its power stations, hospitals and factories.

Despite the heroic resistance of the Ukrainians, it is gaining ground thanks to half-measures and delays in the aid provided by their allies, who are careful not to point to the only acceptable outcome of this war: the withdrawal of Russia to its borders.

Paralysed by Vladimir Putin's "nuclear blackmail", Joe Biden and the Western leaders delivered armaments of limited quantity and range at the wrong time, without providing Ukraine with the means of victory. Concerned above all not to contribute to an "escalation", they allowed the Kremlin to go through each successive stage of the military escalation, culminating in the arrival over the last few days of 10,000 North Korean soldiersThe process is crowned by the use of chemical fillers and a ballistic missile hypersonic.

Petrified by Donald Trump's rodomontades, are European governments preparing to mezza voce to accept, with cowardly relief, that the new American administration is negotiating a ceasefire agreement to the detriment of Ukrainian wishes?

Against Georgia, Moldova or the Baltic States

The betrayal of Ukraine would be the death knell of the European project: triumphant today, Putin would resume his wars of conquest against Ukraine in two, five or seven years' time, as well as against Georgia, Moldavia and other countries. or the Baltic States. The whole continent is sliding towards the abyss. Our security, our freedoms and our values are under direct threat. So we need to act, and fast.

NATO depends on the goodwill of the White House. The European Union (EU) is confronted with the indecision and pusillanimity of certain heads of state and government, and with the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's double game. This is why we are calling for the mobilisation of all European citizens: if NATO does not quickly assume its responsibilities and invite Ukraine to join the Atlantic Alliance, a coalition of willing European states must be put in place - whether or not they are members of the EU (such as the United Kingdom or Norway).

This coalition could agree on a package of measures:

- ensure the financing of the necessary armaments, demanded by Kiev, by confiscating and transferring to Ukraine the 210 billion euros [202 billion]. of assets of the Central Bank of Russia currently blocked in Europe (the current loan from the European Union may be based on other guarantees). Not only is this confiscation authorised by international law, but it is also justified by the urgency of the situation: the needs of a country ruined by the war of aggression, assessed by the World Bank 483 billion at 1 January.^er As of 1 January 2024, the Ukrainian government estimates that the current value of the agreement is close to 800 billion dollars. It would also strengthen Europe's collective sovereignty on the international stage;

Defensive presence

- protect the skies and the northern border of Ukraine. In aauthorising the Ukrainians to strike in Russia, with the weapons we provide themWe are also providing a significant number of batteries and anti-aircraft vectors to stop the destruction of civilian infrastructures. With the help of our air and anti-aircraft forces, we are neutralising, from European airspace, the medium- and long-range missiles and drones launched against Ukrainian cities.

Tasked with logistical missions (training, maintenance and repair, mine clearance, medical and health support), they would also monitor Ukraine's border with Belarus. This would enable Ukrainian troops immobilised in these positions to rejoin the front line. This defensive presence would be the best response to the involvement alongside Russian forces of troops from Kim Jong-un's totalitarian regime, and a sign of our determination to dissuade Putin from going any further;

- Reject any ceasefire agreement that does not take into account the human (and not just territorial) dimension of the Russian invasion: no Ukrainian should be held against his or her will in Russia or in the occupied territories. The return to Ukraine of people deported by the Russian army, including tens of thousands of children kidnappedmust be non-negotiable. On the other hand, any ceasefire agreement must take into account the security of Ukraine, which cannot be given the status of a demilitarised or neutral state. NATO member countries must invite Ukraine to join them, as Kiev is demanding, and extend the Alliance's protection to the territories under Ukrainian control from 2025.

Whatever the Kremlin's propaganda may say, none of these measures involve going to war with Russia. Their cost is limited. They are vital for a country that defends its freedom and protects ours. It's time for Europe: let's not betray Ukraine!

First signatories: Daniel Cohn-Bendit, former Member of the European Parliament ; Vincent Desportes, Major General of the Army (2S), former Director of the Ecole de Guerre ; Stephen Fry, writer, director and actor (United Kingdom) ; Michel Hazavanicius, filmmaker ; Agnieszka Holland, filmmaker (Poland) ; Jonathan Littell, writer and film-maker ; Denis MacShane, former Minister for Europe (United Kingdom) ; Adam Michnik, editor-in-chief of Gazeta Wyborcza (Poland) ; Ariane Mnouchkine, director of the Théâtre du Soleil ; Sylvie Rollet, Professor Emeritus, President of Pour l'Ukraine, pour leur liberté et la nôtre! Karl Schlögel, historian, Professor Emeritus, European University Viadrina (FRG) ; Volker Schlöndorff, filmmaker (FRG) ; Marc Thys, lieutenant-general (R), honorary aide-de-camp to the King of the Belgians (Belgium) ; Olivier Védrine, Director of the Association Jean-Monnet; Michel Yakovleff, General (2S) of the French Army.

Find out more about full list of signatories here.