https://sputnikglobe.com/20240317/european-peace-fund-stoking-war-in-ukraine-as-scheming-eu-governments-take-advantage-1117385528.html
European ‘Peace Fund’ Stoking Struggle in Ukraine as Scheming EU Governments Take Benefit
European ‘Peace Fund’ Stoking Struggle in Ukraine as Scheming EU Governments Take Benefit
Sputnik Worldwide
European taxpayers’ cash “spent on Ukraine” goes to a scheme referred to as the European Peace Facility, which since its inception has been selling struggle as an alternative of peace and enriched shady operators.
2024-03-17T12:53+0000
2024-03-17T12:53+0000
2024-03-17T12:53+0000
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european union (eu)
emmanuel macron
donald tusk
olaf scholz
ukraine
estonia
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“A brand new period is dawning,” claimed Macron, whereas Poland’s Tusk lauded: “We need to spend our cash on Ukraine.” However a better look reveals that European taxpayers’ cash “spent on Ukraine” will go to a scheme referred to as the European Peace Facility, which since its inception has been selling struggle as an alternative of peace and enriched shady operators.The issues bothering the three European leaders in Berlin appear clear. A $60 billion invoice geared toward supporting Ukraine’s “struggle effort” has obtained caught within the US Congress and $300 million price batch of arms that the US just lately despatched to Kiev is clearly not sufficient to cease the gradual retreat of Zelensky’s troops.So, Scholz, Macron and Tusk felt an pressing have to create the impression that “Europeans are able to step in” and compensate for the military-industrial complicated of the US, with the EU sending lethal “items” to Ukrainians. This reimbursement is meant to be completed via the grossly misnamed and off-budget scheme European Peace Facility (EPF).The Fund Value BillionsThe EPF fund was established in 2021 and was initially used to reimburse European producers of arms that have been despatched to “EU-friendly dictators in Africa” – an expression utilized by the fund’s critics in Western media. However from February 2022, the EPF began working with billions and devoted itself solely to arming Russia’s adversaries in Ukraine and different post-Soviet nations.On the floor, the EPF’s operations make an impression: “The EU agrees to €5 billion in Ukraine navy help,” “EU money for Ukraine” – such headlines have been omnipresent within the Western media final week. The EU member nations’ envoys in Brussels just lately certainly agreed to extend the EPF’s belongings to €17 billion, of which €11 billion are meant for Ukraine. (To date, the EPF has already spent €6.1 billion of taxpayers’ cash on supplying Zelensky’s regime with arms.)Nevertheless, the European Conservative, a Budapest-based media outlet, studies that “it’s theoretically doable that no precise cash reaches the EPF below the settlement.”Why? The EU has change into a sufferer of its personal hypocrisy. In keeping with the EU’s laws, the European Union is a peaceable group that can’t legally finance any struggle effort immediately, regardless of member nations preventing in nearly all the main wars since 1991 – from Iraq and Afghanistan to Libya and Yugoslavia. Therefore the necessity for this “peace” fund, which makes use of European cash, however legally isn’t part of the EU finances system with its strict laws, the outlet writes.Obligations – In Cash Or WeaponsSo, all 27 nations of the European Union are purported to contribute to the EPF, relying on the relative dimension of every nation’s economic system. Nevertheless, there’s a provision that makes it doable for each nation to exchange its share within the compulsory cost of €5 billion by “an in-kind donation.”Because of this as an alternative of donating cash, Estonia or Germany might simply “donate” weapons (together with outdated ones) to this venerable “peace” fund. This opens the door to schemes.“The advantageous print specifies that for each $2 price of navy tools donation member states can deduct $1 from their required cash donation to EPF – with no restrict on deductions,” The European Conservative writes.So, if we learn the advantageous print, the information in regards to the €5 billion ‘sacrifice’ of EU member states for the Ukrainian Military isn’t fairly correct: Germany, for instance, might not pay an extra cent to the fund. Right here is why.As Politico studies, Germany has been the most important donor for the Ukrainian navy, having given €17.7 billion in navy provides. Now Germany is meant to pay €1.2 billion a yr into the EPF, however so long as it provides not less than €2.4 billion in weapons to Ukraine in a yr, Germany is freed from any obligation to pay cash to the fund.Exhibiting Them The Cash, Getting Arms For OneselfHowever, if Germany is the largest donor, then Estonia is the neatest schemer.Earlier this yr, Politico accused Estonia of utilizing a loophole within the guidelines that the European Council adopted for the EPF. The bureaucrats in Brussels forgot to specify how EU members ought to calculate the procurement value of the weaponry they ship to Ukraine’s struggle machine through the European Peace Facility.So, Estonia (adopted by Latvia and Lithuania) vastly overestimated the worth of the outdated Soviet weapons that it supplied. Nevertheless the EPF nonetheless gave Estonia the cash, which the officers later used to fulfill their nation’s protection and shopper wants.“They [Estonians and other EU members] are sending their scraps to Ukraine and later shopping for model new struggle supplies for themselves, utilizing EU cash,” Politico writes.“All in all, that is an unseemly story – Western nations pleasure themselves on their supposedly selfless navy help to Ukraine, similar to they boasted of their help to the insurgents in Syria. Because of this, Syria and Ukraine have been badly broken largely by Western-made weapons,” commented Sonja van den Ende, a Moscow-based worldwide affairs analyst with expertise protecting the wars within the Center East. “However in actuality this navy help isn’t selfless. We see on the instance of the EPF how this help truly helps to fill the pockets of huge arms producing corporations and of Western authorities officers.”
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240313/ukraine-sees-little-hope-of-mobilizing-500k-fresh-troops-as-western-arms-aid-stalls-1117311502.html
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Dmitry Babich
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eu help to ukraine, european monetary help to ukraine, european peace facility
eu help to ukraine, european monetary help to ukraine, european peace facility
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk just lately vowed to obtain extra weapons for Ukraine at a gathering in Berlin.
“A brand new period is dawning,” claimed Macron, whereas Poland’s Tusk lauded: “We need to spend our cash on Ukraine.” However a better look reveals that European taxpayers’ cash “spent on Ukraine” will go to a scheme referred to as the European Peace Facility, which since its inception has been selling struggle as an alternative of peace and enriched shady operators.
The issues bothering the three European leaders in Berlin appear clear. A $60 billion invoice geared toward supporting Ukraine’s “struggle effort” has obtained caught within the US Congress and $300 million price batch of arms that the US just lately despatched to Kiev is clearly not sufficient to cease the gradual retreat of Zelensky’s troops.
So, Scholz, Macron and Tusk felt an pressing have to create the impression that “Europeans are able to step in” and compensate for the military-industrial complicated of the US, with the EU sending lethal “items” to Ukrainians. This reimbursement is meant to be completed via the grossly misnamed and off-budget scheme European Peace Facility (EPF).
The EPF fund was established in 2021 and was initially used to reimburse European producers of arms that have been despatched to “EU-friendly dictators in Africa” – an expression utilized by the fund’s critics in Western media. However from February 2022, the EPF began working with billions and devoted itself solely to arming Russia’s adversaries in Ukraine and different post-Soviet nations.
On the floor, the EPF’s operations make an impression: “The EU agrees to €5 billion in Ukraine navy help,” “EU money for Ukraine” – such headlines have been omnipresent within the Western media final week. The EU member nations’ envoys in Brussels just lately certainly agreed to extend the EPF’s belongings to €17 billion, of which €11 billion are meant for Ukraine. (To date, the EPF has already spent €6.1 billion of taxpayers’ cash on supplying Zelensky’s regime with arms.)
Nevertheless, the European Conservative, a Budapest-based media outlet, studies that “it’s theoretically doable that no precise cash reaches the EPF below the settlement.”
Why? The EU has change into a sufferer of its personal hypocrisy. In keeping with the EU’s laws, the European Union is a peaceable group that can’t legally finance any struggle effort immediately, regardless of member nations preventing in nearly all the main wars since 1991 – from Iraq and Afghanistan to Libya and Yugoslavia. Therefore the necessity for this “peace” fund, which makes use of European cash, however legally isn’t part of the EU finances system with its strict laws, the outlet writes.
Obligations – In Cash Or Weapons
So, all 27 nations of the European Union are purported to contribute to the EPF, relying on the relative dimension of every nation’s economic system. Nevertheless, there’s a provision that makes it doable for each nation to exchange its share within the compulsory cost of €5 billion by “an in-kind donation.”
Because of this as an alternative of donating cash, Estonia or Germany might simply “donate” weapons (together with outdated ones) to this venerable “peace” fund. This opens the door to schemes.
“The advantageous print specifies that for each $2 price of navy tools donation member states can deduct $1 from their required cash donation to EPF – with no restrict on deductions,” The European Conservative writes.
So, if we learn the advantageous print, the information in regards to the €5 billion ‘sacrifice’ of EU member states for the Ukrainian Military isn’t fairly correct: Germany, for instance, might not pay an extra cent to the fund. Right here is why.
As Politico studies, Germany has been the most important donor for the Ukrainian navy, having given €17.7 billion in navy provides. Now Germany is meant to pay €1.2 billion a yr into the EPF, however so long as it provides not less than €2.4 billion in weapons to Ukraine in a yr, Germany is freed from any obligation to pay cash to the fund.
Exhibiting Them The Cash, Getting Arms For Oneself
Nevertheless, if Germany is the largest donor, then Estonia is the neatest schemer.
So, Estonia (adopted by Latvia and Lithuania) vastly overestimated the worth of the outdated Soviet weapons that it supplied. Nevertheless the EPF nonetheless gave Estonia the cash, which the officers later used to fulfill their nation’s protection and shopper wants.
“They [Estonians and other EU members] are sending their scraps to Ukraine and later shopping for model new struggle supplies for themselves, utilizing EU cash,” Politico writes.
In keeping with EU inspectors quoted by The European Conservative, the habits of the Estonian authorities led by Prime Minister Kaja Kallas was a “notably blatant case.” Estonia “topped the charts” of the EPF’s abuse schemes, demanding 91% reimbursement for the outdated weapons donated and raking in €135 million final yr alone. New NATO members Finland and Sweden additionally demanded enormous refunds, and Macron’s France insisted on 71% plus an obligation to function solely with European-made weapons.
“All in all, that is an unseemly story – Western nations pleasure themselves on their supposedly selfless navy help to Ukraine, similar to they boasted of their help to the insurgents in Syria. Because of this, Syria and Ukraine have been badly broken largely by Western-made weapons,” commented Sonja van den Ende, a Moscow-based worldwide affairs analyst with expertise protecting the wars within the Center East. “However in actuality this navy help isn’t selfless. We see on the instance of the EPF how this help truly helps to fill the pockets of huge arms producing corporations and of Western authorities officers.”
