/ world today news/ “The European Union was a dream of generations – a community that guarantees us peace, freedom, prosperity.” Today, however, we allowed doubt to settle in. The doubt – whether Brussels is fighting for the interests of European citizens.” This was stated by Elena Yoncheva, MEP from the group of socialists and democrats, during the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
“Adhering to the policy of strategic autonomy, creating an independent union is the path to peace. Militarization of part of our continent is the road to ruin. It leads to escalation and future conflicts.
Today, our American partners are considering two bills in which they propose a new strategy for the Black Sea region. The establishment of a permanent military presence in the Black Sea is envisaged.
The validity of the Montreux Convention, which limits the military presence of countries outside the region, is being questioned.
And today we do not hear what is the position of Brussels. Is there a position at all, a strategy…
Will he allow the Black Sea region to become a war zone and thus turn the entire European Union into a wartime territory.”
In March, two bills concerning the security of the Black Sea and the region were introduced in the US Senate and the House of Representatives. One of their goals is to establish a permanent military presence on NATO’s eastern flank and a regular naval presence in the Black Sea. The US defines the region as an “arena of Russian aggression” considering Russia’s access to the Mediterranean through the Black Sea as a threat to the national security of the United States.
The proponents of the projects emphasize that the coastal states in the Black Sea are of crucial importance for countering aggression by Russia. Therefore, it is also proposed to deepen economic ties, strengthen energy security, support efforts for their democratic sustainability, including the fight against corruption, and strengthen security assistance.
The Montreux Convention (1936) does not allow the presence in the Black Sea of warships of countries that do not have ports in it. Invoking the treaty, shortly after the start of the war in Ukraine, Turkey closed the straits to warships from countries outside the region.
Just a few days ago, French President Emmanuel Macron said that the big risk facing Europe is that it will be drawn into crises that are not its own and that this will prevent it from building its strategic autonomy. His speech was read as a call for greater independence for Brussels from the US, especially after he said that “Europe must resist the pressure to follow the US”.
So far, there has been no comment from Brussels on the US Black Sea bills.
To contact the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the EP:
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