Former Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin explained why there is support in Europe for the start of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, despite the understanding that Moscow has no incentives, motives, or interests in doing so. Specifically, they do not believe there is a threat to themselves. Reports TCN. This is also reported by Kontrakty.UA.
Klimkin made this statement during an appearance on the YouTube channel "Hovoryt OPORA".
According to the former foreign minister, Europe is emotionally and economically fatigued from the war in Ukraine. Europe has "realized that it is incapable of mobilizing to a higher level."
"What we have failed to achieve in these three years of full-scale invasion is to mobilize our partners. They are doing more, but they are not mobilizing, they are not reaching a qualitatively different level. They do not want to. They cannot and do not want to. They do not believe in our ability to continue to wage war effectively, nor in their own capacity to engage in warfare or raise the stakes," Klimkin explained.
He added that Europeans will certainly express all the right messages about supporting Ukraine, as much as is necessary, "but then they will act as they have always done."
The diplomat believes that Europe will be able to increase weapons production, but will not go beyond that.
"What they can do to increase weapons production is limited – they will do it. And they are doing this not so much for us as for themselves. But also for us. However, they will not go beyond these limits, as they do not know what will happen if they exceed them. And, in fact, they cannot fully define these limits for themselves," Klimkin said.
He also expressed the opinion that Europeans are currently in a state of paralysis, and here’s why:
"They are in a state of paralysis because they thought that the first era of Trump would end and then something similar would follow – that is, something like what was before, but with Biden somehow there would again be an American 'umbrella' and so on. Then a new Trump came, and this Trump is much more dangerous. Now they are asking, including Americans, what should we do. And they say – you fools, if you had implemented a ten-year plan in 2016, you would have almost completed it by now."
The former minister explained that Europeans advocate for the start of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia because they do not perceive a threat to themselves.
"This Europe, in my opinion, in today’s reality, without fundamental crises that may come to it, is unable to move beyond the logic that today’s comfortable existence is not guaranteed. But people do not understand this. Moreover, they do not perceive security as a value. Nothing has changed in their mentality. They do not believe in the threat. The States are different. But Europe is currently unable to move to a new level of mobilization without additional crises, including concerning us. And this, in my opinion, is the answer to your question," Klimkin explained.
By the way, in another interview, Klimkin suggested that negotiations regarding Ukraine's future may already be taking place without Kyiv's involvement.