In an interview before stepping down, Josep Borrell raised the alarm about Russia’s war in Ukraine, urging EU member states to “do more” to support the Ukrainians.
As his five-year term as the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs nears its end, Josep Borrell issued a final warning about the dangers posed by Russia’s expansionism to the entire bloc, calling on member states to strengthen their armed forces.
“We have reached a breaking point. Now is the moment when member states need to decide: we either go forward and support, or we don’t,” Borrell said in an interview with a group of media outlets, including Euronews, just two days before his mandate ends.
“The Russians are pushing hard. The Russians are not waiting for negotiations. Russia continues to push slowly but steadily,” he added.
“The situation on the front line is not good, but the Ukrainians are resisting,” said Borrell.
His comments come at a critical juncture in the war, with Russian forces making significant territorial gains and escalating their attacks on Ukraine’s energy grid and civilian infrastructure.
At the same time, around 11,000 North Korean soldiers have joined the battle in the Kursk region.
“The Russian superiority continues. They have been helped by North Korea far more than we have been able to help the Ukrainians,” Borrell said.
“We must understand: is Russia politically isolated? Certainly not. How many people went to Kazan?” he asked, referring to the BRICS summit in October, where Putin hosted leaders such as Xi Jinping of China, Narendra Modi of India, Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, among others.
“I cannot honestly say that Russia is isolated in the international community,” Borrell added.
As one of the most steadfast supporters of Kyiv within the EU, Borrell spent much of his tenure negotiating with governments over sanctions to weaken Russia and military supplies to bolster Ukraine.
His efforts have ensured a continuous flow of aid.
Reports say the EU recently met its much-discussed target of providing Ukraine with one million rounds of ammunition.
However, a €6.6 billion fund for collective assistance remains blocked by Hungary’s strong veto.
“This pace is completely insufficient,” Borrell complained.
“We need to speed up and do more, and do it faster. We need to do more and do it faster. We have one million rounds. Fine, that’s good. But Russia is firing 800,000 rounds a month. Numbers matter,” he continued.
‘No Sense of Urgency’
The war, now in its most intense phase, has forced the EU to drastically increase defense spending.
Spending is expected to rise to €326 billion by 2024, according to the latest report from the European Defense Agency.
But there is growing awareness that much more needs to be done.
One idea that has gained attention, and which was recently approved by Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and Poland, is the issuance of joint debt or Eurobonds to stimulate the bloc’s defense industry.
Although not fundamentally opposed, Borrell believes this project is not adequate to respond to the invasion, as it would only produce results in the future.
When EU leaders decided in 2020 to create a €750 billion recovery fund backed by joint debt, it took months for Brussels to gain legal approval from all 27 capitals and to activate the plan.
By the time payments began, most countries were already out of COVID lockdowns and enjoying a healthy economic recovery.
“If Russia breaks through the front line next spring, it won’t wait for you to issue bonds,” Borrell said.
“By the way, how long does it take to issue bonds? I don’t know, but past experience shows that it’s quite slow.”
“War in Ukraine is a race against time,” he emphasized.
“Use what you have today, use the tools and instruments that have been invented in the past for the present. We spend too much time designing strategies for tomorrow when the problem is today and it’s urgent. We don’t have a sense of urgency,” he concluded.
‘Don’t Pretend It’s Free’
An external factor that could help the EU “gain a sense of urgency” that Borrell regrets not seeing is the potential return of Donald Trump to the White House.
The Republican has promised to review aid to Ukraine and reach an agreement to end the war “in 24 hours,” without providing specific details.
If America, a world-class producer of advanced military technology, withdraws from the Western front, Europe would essentially be left to support the war-torn nation on its own.
“Are we able to supply Ukraine with arms in a way that would replace the U.S. commitment? No. In three months or two months, things can change very quickly on the front line, and the Ukrainians are not sitting and waiting for Trump to come and make something happen,” Borrell said.
To avoid a last-minute setback, Borrell urged member states to replenish their military reserves, donate as much as possible now, and remove all restrictions on weapon use so Ukraine can strike targets deep in Russian territory.
U.S. President Joe Biden has already removed his veto, but German Chancellor Olaf Scholz remains firmly opposed to sending long-range Taurus missiles.
“Until the last minute of my mandate, I will continue to recommend to member states what I have been saying for months: do more and do it faster,” Borrell said.
However, the diplomat acknowledged that supporting Kyiv requires not only the approval of presidents and prime ministers but also the acceptance of ordinary citizens, who may question why their taxes should be spent on a distant country.
“Communication,” he said, “is crucial to help people understand the threat that Europe itself is facing.”
