Egypt Daily News – Josep Borrell, the European Union’s top foreign policy official, warned that Europe had reached a “tipping point” in the ongoing war with Russia in Ukraine. In a newspaper interview before leaving office, Borrell called on European countries to “do more, faster” to support Ukraine.
Borrell noted that the situation on the front is “not good,” stressing that the Russians are advancing slowly but continuously. He revealed details, including about 11,000 North Korean soldiers joining the battles in the Kursk region.
“We have reached a breaking point,” Borrell said. “Now is the time for member states to decide: we go and we support.”
Large-scale Russian attacks
Borrell’s comments come at a critical time in the war, as Russian forces are making significant territorial gains to the east and increasing their large-scale attacks on Ukraine’s energy system and civilian infrastructure.
Contrary to popular belief, Borrell stressed that Russia is not isolated internationally, citing the presence of leaders of countries such as China, India and South Africa at the recent summit.
The European Union has achieved the goal of providing one million rounds of ammunition to Ukraine, but Borrell considered this insufficient compared to Russia’s ammunition of 800,000 rounds per month. European defense spending reached 326 billion euros in 2024, representing 1.9% of the Union’s GDP.
Trump and withdrawing support for Ukraine
Borrell also warned of the potential impact of the US elections, especially with Donald Trump’s promises to change the support policy for Ukraine, and called on European countries to mobilize their resources and accelerate support. He also pointed out that the war in Ukraine is a “race against time,” stressing the need to use the tools available today instead of Waiting for future solutions.
He also warned that any possible US withdrawal from support for Ukraine could leave Europe alone in facing challenges. He stressed the importance of gaining public support, stressing the need to be frank about the cost of support, saying: “Do not pretend that this is free, this has a cost in money and perhaps in lives.”
