Ukraine chief explodes at Germany over Russia snub

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In recent months, there has been a mounting military presence on the border between the two nations, and NATO fears Vladimir Putin, the Russian President, may launch a ground invasion. So far, the UK has sent military equipment to aid Ukraine and bolster its defensive capabilities.

However, the response from the EU has so far been limited to public statements of concern.

According to Politico, behind closed doors Germany has shied away from raising tensions with Russia, and has even taken deterrents off the table – such as banning Moscow from international payments system SWIFT.

Germany is one of several European nations that relies heavily on Russian energy.

Russia has been vying for Germany and the EU to approve the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline, which would feed the fuel directly into Germany, circumventing Ukraine altogether.

Some EU leaders have attributed the tensions on the Ukrainian border, and the migrant crisis on the border with Belarus, as part of a concerted effort to get EU member states to bend to Russia’s will.

Ben Judah, writer on international politics and senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, commented on Twitter last night that “this has been a decisive week for post-Brexit Britain”.

He wrote: “Its actions to support Ukraine militarily and now in intelligence terms are making it loud and clear there is no European ‘strategic autonomy’ without the UK.

“This has been a decisive week in resetting post-Brexit Britain’s relations with some EU countries – after years of being maligned as a ‘destructive’ actor to European security, in the governments in Poland, Baltic and others on the Eastern flank they see Britain pulling through.

“This is not what those states see from Berlin and Brussels. Germany, for some, looks like it is doing the opposite.

“It means they are now more likely to push to keep an Anglo-led NATO and not a very Franco-German EU playing the key European security role. This advantages the UK.”

In December, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss hosted counterparts from Balkan nations.

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After it came to light that Moscow was intending to install a pro-Russian leader in Ukraine in the event of an invasion, Ms Truss said: “Russia must de-escalate, end its campaigns of aggression and disinformation, and pursue a path of diplomacy.

After it came to light that Moscow was intending to install a pro-Russian leader in Ukraine in the event of an invasion, Ms Truss said: “Russia must de-escalate, end its campaigns of aggression and disinformation, and pursue a path of diplomacy.

“As the UK and our partners have said repeatedly, any Russian military incursion into Ukraine would be a massive strategic mistake with severe costs.”

Mr Judah added: “Britain is now thanks to this activist turn towards Northern and Eastern Europe is also rebuilding a lot of trust about itself as a partner and ally.

“This will bleed through into the dynamics of Brexit negotiations. It is no game-changer on any issue but it be will be present.

“Britain, however, needs to do more – if war breaks out in Europe the UK should offer to go to Brussels to informally start briefing the EU Foreign Affairs Council and the European Council like US leaders have done.

“UK diplomats should offer to keep these institutions in the loop.”

US President Joe Biden was this week attempting to rally support in Europe to counter Russian aggression, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken meeting officials in the UK, Germany, France and Russia on Thursday and Friday.

However, Mr Biden’s diplomatic push on the continent has been met by stubbornness from France as well.

On Wednesday, Emmanuel Macron reportedly suggested the EU should not necessarily follow America’s lead when it comes to dealing with Russia.

The French President told the European Parliament that while it was good that Europe was coordinating with the US, “it is necessary that Europeans conduct their own dialogue”.

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