Russia’s invasion of Ukraine shows that European countries are too dependent on the United States for their own security, according to Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin. She wants European countries to increase their weapons production and defense preparedness.
“I’m going to be brutally honest with you, Europe is not strong enough right now. We would be in trouble without the United States,” Marin said at a meeting at a think tank in Sydney, Australia, where she is on an official visit.
The United States thus provided Ukraine with a large number of weapons and financial and humanitarian aid, but Europe did not do enough. Many American politicians have told her that Europe needs to be stronger, according to the Reuters news agency.
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Even though the contribution of the European Union countries is much smaller than that of the United States, their military stockpile has been rapidly depleted in helping the Ukrainians.
“We have to make sure we build that kind of capability when it comes to European defense, European defense industry,” Marin said.
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The Finnish prime minister also criticized European countries that had tried to strengthen ties with Russia in recent decades, including by buying energy from there, in the hope that this would reduce the chances of war. That approach has resulted in a complete shipwreck, according to a report by the British public broadcaster BBC.
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Rather, the voices of Poland and the Baltic States should have been listened to, warning that Russia was taking trade relations and sanctions lightly.
Marin also warned that Russia’s victory in Ukraine would be an incentive for other aggressive states. Democracies should avoid becoming dependent on dictatorships like China.
“Make no doubt that if Russia wins this terrible game, it will not be all about power,” Marin said.
