The West made a mistake by underestimating the principle that deterrence is only effective when the adversary understands that you are strong and undefeatable. The EU must realise that it is impossible to negotiate with a dictator based on democratic standards, because the only language he understands is force and unity. That is why Europeans and their allies must urgently increase investment in the defence sector and provide Ukraine with sufficient military and economic resources to achieve a balance of power.
This was stated in a comment to Guildhall by Slovenian Member of the European Parliament Matej Tonin (EPP).
«Putin attacked Ukraine in 2022 based on a miscalculation. He believed the European Union was divided, the United States was focused on other issues, Ukraine was fragmented, and its government was weak. This was a serious error in judgment and the main factor that pushed him to the irrational decision to invade. History teaches us that deterrence is only effective if the adversary recognises that we are strong and cannot be defeated. The West — and perhaps Ukraine as well — made a mistake by underestimating this rule. In the future, we must correct these mistakes and not repeat them. One cannot negotiate with a dictator based on democratic standards. The only language he understands is strength and unity», — the politician stated.
«For years, we have neglected defence, and now we are unable to supply even an adequate amount of ammunition. It is essential to urgently increase investment in the defence sector. Moreover, the West is consistently late in delivering weapons to Ukraine. Every delay fuels further escalation. Ukraine must be given sufficient resources to achieve parity of forces — otherwise, Putin will continue to believe that he can win militarily», — the Slovenian MEP concluded.
Earlier, Latvian Member of the European Parliament Reinis Pozniaks stated that peace can only be achieved throughpressure on Russia. In his view, peace with Russia is possible only from a position of strength and continuous pressure, including on the Russian economy. According to him, the European Union can express such a position of strength by tightening control over Russia’s «shadow fleet», introducing tariffs on agricultural products and fertilisers from Russia, and allocating sufficient funding to develop Ukraine’s defence industry.