BRUSSELS, March 17. /TASS/. A possible truce in Ukraine is now undesirable for the European Commission, which is preparing to present the EU Defense White Paper on March 19, a long-term strategy for the militarization of the European Union under the control of Brussels, said a source in the diplomatic mission in Brussels of one of the European countries.
"The truce in Ukraine is very undesirable for the European Commission ahead of the publication of the White Paper. Confrontation with Russia is now becoming a new European project, which is being formed by the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. She seeks to significantly enhance the power of Brussels over the EU countries by countering the Russian threat, this is why any reduction in tension in Ukraine undermines these plans," he said.
He said that the European Commission is trying to formulate a "new existential idea for the European Union," which will be "fighting against Russia."
Distrust in business
"The main problem of the [European Commission's] course towards the accelerated development of the European defense industry is now the lack of private investment. Businesses are afraid to expand weapons production if they do not have guaranteed demand for at least the next decade. The European Commission promises large government weapons orders to businesses, but investor confidence in these promises will decrease sharply if there is a pause in one of the main military conflicts in the world today, and even more so there is a clear prospect of its resolution," the diplomat said.
He did not rule out that the European Commission and some EU leaders supporting it would "make significant efforts to disrupt the peace process," including by influencing Kiev. According to the diplomat, they actually talk directly about this, demanding "to ensure peace in Ukraine through force," or some kind of "a just peace" that is "completely divorced from the real situation in the conflict zone."
The European Commission's strategy
Von der Leyen had previously said she planned to launch a full-scale arms race in Europe - there is an 800 billion euro plan to finance rapid militarization of the European industry over the next 4 years. The European Commission intends to raise less than 20% of this amount by issuing Eurobonds - 150 billion euros in loans. The remaining 650 billion euros will have to be found by the EU countries from their budgets and through government loans.
To raise this amount, the European Commission intends to relax fiscal discipline and allow its countries to increase budget deficits above 3%, the maximum amount according to the EU Stability and Growth Pact. The European Commission also intends to allow the member countries to spend money from the European Fund for the development of depressed European regions on military needs. All these measures are being taken to generate large military orders and encourage European businesses to rapidly expand production of weapons and ammunition.
This plan should become an integral part of the EU Defense White Paper. The EU leaders are to discuss both documents at a summit on March 20-21.