The war in Ukraine, the social and economic repercussions of the conflict, the energy crisis and the urgent measures that the European Commission will try to propose will be addressed to prevent these problems from affecting the citizens as well as the political stability of the Twenty-seven this Wednesday. And they will do so within the framework of the debate on the State of the Union 2022 (SOTEU), in which MEPs will debate tomorrow in Strasbourg the most urgent challenges of the EU with the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen at the head. This is a very interesting plenary session that began this morning with the intervention of the Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin - not because she has recently become famous because of issues that have little or nothing to do with politics - but because Finland is a country that compares more than a thousand kilometers of border with Russia and that has to formalize its request for intrusion into NATO, ends in its historical neutrality. Marin asked to confront Russia's energy blackmail and assured that "the greatest strength" of the Twenty-seven resides in its unity, which is "now more necessary than ever." Related News standard No Putin's other energy card, questioning his global influence "could cause a greater crisis" Alexia Columba Jerez With Rosatom's technology in the construction of floating power plants and control of supplies, Russia destabilizes the European Union The energy measures that Von der Leyen takes in the SOTEU “will depend on how far he wants to go and how much or how little he wants to squeeze the member states. It may take the opportunity to launch the ordago and then it's up to these to go behind ”, Jaume Duch, spokesman and general director of communication of the European Parliament advanced. It is also a debate that comes just after the summer and above all, a politically dense year. “It is a somewhat special debate. It reminds me of the 2015 State of the Union debate when we had to deal with the Syrian refugee crisis. In 2021, it was focused on Afghanistan and Parliament had less to say. This year is very different,” said the parliamentary spokesman. “When there is a crisis, the governments of each country suffer, not the European institutions. Our play not to miss this train. If energy measures are taken, rather than energy measures, the image of the EU will be preserved as a safeguard for all the issues that the countries cannot resolve”, Duch sentenced. EU support for Ukraine On September 6, a double Ukrainian counteroffensive began in the north-east and south of the country. To date, “Russia was only waiting for the one from the south, which has caused an abrupt rupture of the front by having to withdraw its troops so that they are not surrounded. It is nothing more than a tactical withdrawal, a disorderly retreat. Although they will continue to exploit that initial victory, the Russian firepower is still much greater than the Ukrainian's," the parliamentary spokesman said. Even so, sources from the European Commission revealed this Tuesday morning to the Spanish media that Moscow has practically exhausted all its precision ammunition due to its way of waging war "in the old way" with blind, cruel and destructive bombing, but no cash. “Russia expects democracies to falter. However, Europe is not going to falter. What is happening in the military field was not expected by anyone and shows how well founded our strategy is”, declares the Commission. “The important thing is to continue with military support and even reinforce it. I do not think that more surplus weapons are needed, but rather enough logistical capacity to maintain the war on their part,” the same sources pointed out. Currently, there is an ongoing military aid package worth €2.600 billion planned for the EU in Kyiv through the European Peace Fund. When asked how far the European Union is willing to go with its help, they do not rule out supporting President Zelensky in the event that his final aim is to recover borders prior to those of February 24, that is, to also seize the Donbass and Crimea: “We help repel an invasion, but they decide how far. We are not going to tell them what to do,” they replied. Outside the battlefield, “weakening an economy takes time. The economic sanctions are reaching key sectors of the Russian economy such as transport or high technology, as well as the collapse of oil and gas revenues. The Russians have suffered losses of up to 50% of their capacities since the start of the war and more than thousands of Western companies installed in Russia have stopped their operations, which represents 40% of their GDP European Commission According to data from this same source , the Russians have suffered losses of up to 50% of their capabilities since last February 24: 45% of the technology used by Moscow, supplied by Europe and 21% by the United States, as well as two thirds of its civil aircraft. Likewise, more than a thousand western companies installed in Russia have paralyzed their operations, where they suppose to reduce 40% of their GDP. Half of the oil and gas fields are also in the depletion phase and “have no alternative client”. In short, the Russian budget is entering a deficit, when it was in surplus. For this reason, for the EU, “it is clear that the sanctions are having an effect”. MORE INFORMATION news No The EU restricts the obtaining of visas to Russians, but does not prohibit it completely In this sense, yesterday, Monday, the High Representative of the European Union in Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, highlighted the progress of the counteroffensive After speaking with the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dimitro Kuleba: "Our strategy works: help Ukraine to fight back, put pressure on Russia with sanctions and support partners around the world," the head of diplomacy wrote on social networks. European.
