New defense strategy to help EU face migration crisis on EU-Belarus border
November 17, 2021, 1:04 am

New defense strategy to help EU face migration crisis on EU-Belarus border

Belarus-Poland border-Illegal immigration/Facebook page

The Xinhua reported, the top EU diplomat said that the European Union's new defense strategy, called the Strategic Compass, is designed to prepare the bloc for response to situations such as the current migration crisis on the EU-Belarus border.

Addressing a press conference after a meeting of EU defense ministers, the EU's High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, said the document was "not just another policy document" but a guide for action with concrete measures and timelines.

Asylum seekers at Belarus border receiving humanitarian aid/Facebook page

"We must respond with all possible tools to our disposal," said Borrell, when elaborating on a proposal to establish a hybrid toolbox, which "would be extremely relevant to face these kinds of situations (concerning Belarus)."

He said: "The world is full of hybrid situations where we face intermediate dynamics of competition, intimidation and coercion and what we are seeing today in the Polish and Lithuanian border with Belarus is a typical example of that."

He explained that the distinction between war and peace has been diminishing over time.

Borrell said he proposed to the member states the creation of a rapid reaction force of 5,000 people to solve operational problems.

The proposal to create the rapid reaction force will be included in the final draft of the program, which is planned to be approved at the EU summit in March 2022.

Tuesday's press conference appeared to be the first occasion that Borrell publicly explained what the Strategic Compass is about.

Source: xinhua

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Upon arriving to participate in the summit of the European Political Community, which includes around forty heads of state in Budapest, he said, "I look forward to sitting with the elected U.S. president and seeing how we will collectively ensure we meet challenges, including the threats from Russia and North Korea." He also noted that the strengthening of ties between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to the United States as well, according to reports from Agence France-Presse.

Before Trump's victory, Rutte expressed confidence that a united Washington would remain part of the defensive alliance, even if Trump became the 47th president of the United States. In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF last Monday night, he stated that both Republicans and Democrats understand that NATO serves not only the security of Europe but also that of America. He added that both candidates are aware that the security of the United States is closely tied to NATO.

On Wednesday, NATO congratulated Trump on his victory but did not address the Ukrainian issue.

It is noteworthy that the relationship between the elected U.S. president and the defense alliance was not the best during his first term in the White House. Trump criticized NATO member states multiple times and even hinted at withdrawing from the alliance unless they increased their financial contributions.

Additionally, the issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war is one of the matters that complicate relations between the two sides, especially since Trump has repeatedly stated that he can end this ongoing conflict, which began in 2022, quickly. He implied that he had a peace plan between Kyiv and Moscow, while his vice president, JD Vance, revealed aspects of that plan, which stipulated Ukraine's commitment not to join NATO, thereby sending reassuring signals to the Russians.

Furthermore, many NATO member states in Europe fear that Trump might halt military aid to Ukraine after he previously criticized the U.S. for pouring funds into supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.