EU rearmament, arms supplies to Kiev risk confrontation with Russia — Finnish politician

EU rearmament, arms supplies to Kiev risk confrontation with Russia — Finnish politician Armando Mema added that the EU had already provided 400 billion euros in military aid to Ukraine and continued its rearmament drive, "with 800-billion-euro investments in building an European Army"STOCKHOLM, November 13. /TASS/. If the European Union continues its rearmament drive and military supplies to Ukraine, it risks entering into direct confrontation with Russia, Armando Mema, a member of the Finnish national-conservative Freedom Alliance party, said. "Prime minister of Estonia [Kristen] Michal says that Europe does not represent a security threat to Russia. The EU has been active in financing a proxy war against Russia with clear intent of wanting a strategic defeat," he wrote on X. He added that the EU had already provided 400 billion euros in military aid to Ukraine and continued its rearmament drive, "with 800-billion-euro investments in building an European Army." "We should take into account Russia’s rightful concern about security or we will soon end up in a direct confrontation if we keep ignoring Russia's demands for security," Mema concluded. Moscow has repeatedly rejected allegations that Russia plans to attack NATO countries. Russian President Vladimir Putin described such claims by Western politicians as an attempt to intimidate their own populations and justify increasing military spending. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that NATO was pursuing a policy of "frenzied militarization," using the so-called Russian threat as an excuse to raise member states’ defense spending to 5% of GDP. In the spring of 2025, the EU took steps toward large-scale militarization. In particular, an emergency summit in Brussels in March approved the ReArm EU plan worth 800 billion euros. Later, the Council of the European Union approved the establishment of a defense funding mechanism dubbed Security Action for Europe (SAFE) as part of the bloc’s 2030 military development program. A NATO summit in the Hague in 2025 decided to raise military spending by European countries to 5% of GDP by 2034. TagsUkraineVance may put his presidential ambitions on hold — CNNAccording to the TV channel, the ongoing war with Iran remains a major obstacle to Vance’s presidential ambitionsRead moreOver 1,000 foreign mercenaries wanted internationally — Russian investigators284 mercenaries had been convictedRead moreRussia withdraws from European Boxing Championship in Croatia citing lack of national flagThe decision was also prompted by problems concerning the issuance of entry visas to members of the Russian delegationRead moreBridge damage disrupts transport links across Dnieper in Kiev — lawmakerDamage to the bridges over the Dnieper has repeatedly paralyzed traffic in Kiev since late OctoberRead moreRussian forces push Ukrainian troops 30 km from state border in Sumy Region — expertAndrey Marochko specified that the Russian military continues to steadily expand the buffer zone in this areaRead moreEuropean envoy to Ukraine talks must be acceptable to all parties — top Czech diplomatAccording to Petr Macinka, the person selected must command the respect of the West but also be viewed positively by the EastRead moreUS refrains from tougher measures against Iran on request from regional countries — TrumpUS President Donald Trump stressed that if not for that request, he could go furtherRead moreFormer Ukrainian prime minister calls Kiev’s demand to maintain 800,000-strong army absurdNikolay Azarov noted that Kiev needed financial guarantees from the EU because it was unable to maintain such large armed forces on its ownRead moreRussia does not expect lifting of sanctions against it in medium term — MFAWestern countries have recently begun to employ a sanctions policy with increasing frequency as they are losing their advantages, their "undisputed leadership," Alexander Trofimov saidRead morePress review: EU rejects security reform, stalls Ukraine peace as Armenia loses CSTO voteTop stories from the Russian press on Friday, November 13thRead moreRussian troops liberate two communities in Ukraine operation over past day — top brassUnits of Russia's Battlegroup Center liberated the settlement of Shilovka in the DPR and servicemen of the Battlegroup East liberated the settlement of Voskresenka in the Zaporozhye Region through decisive operationsRead more