Recently, the EU's international influence may not be significant, but in recent days it has ushered in a wave of tough measures, directly targeting Russia and the United States. First of all, in the face of the Russian problem, the European Union, as always, has taken curbing actions, planning to impose the 10th round of sanctions against Russia.
This winter has been extremely friendly to the EU countries, with average temperatures across Western Europe significantly warmer than usual. As can be seen from the meteorological map, with Ukraine as the dividing line, the temperature in the west is above 10, while in the east it is about minus 10. This has made Russia passive in responding to the EU's energy counter-sanctions, and it has also become one of the reasons why the EU continues to impose sanctions on Russia.
On January 17, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that it would impose a 10th round of sanctions against Russia, aiming to close the loopholes identified in previous sanctions. Specifically, this means that the EU will block all lanes of communication with Russia and block any means of circumventing sanctions.
The second initiative is large-scale assistance to Ukraine**. Von der Leyen said that the EU needs to provide military support and related assistance to Ukraine. He stressed that Western allies should provide Ukraine with all operational equipment and advanced equipment systems. The Netherlands took the lead in responding, announcing the supply of Patriot missile systems to Ukraine. Previously, Germany and France have also assisted Ukraine, and the meeting of the Ukraine Contact Group is scheduled to be held on January 20, and it is expected that EU countries will provide a large amount of assistance to Ukraine, further aggravating the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
The EU has also been tough on its stance against the United States. On January 17, von der Leyen said at the forum that the European Union has proposed a net-zero bill to compete with the United States due to concerns about the protection measures in the US Inflation Reduction Act on the EU economy.
Von der Leyen revealed that the EU will subsidize EU industries through tax reductions, investment funds and assistance to prevent companies from transferring production capacity to the United States. He also stressed the EU's desire to maintain cooperative relations with the Asia-Pacific region and stressed the need to avoid decoupling from the Asia-Pacific region.
Despite the EU's toughness, times are evolving, and it's hard to say whether it can really change anything. On the one hand, the EU has tried to deal a heavy blow to Russia in the Russia-Ukraine conflict due to geopolitical concerns, but the EU has also paid a huge price in the process of sanctioning Russia. At present, more than half of the EU people want to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine as soon as possible, in stark contrast to the EU's insistence on continuing to assist Ukraine.
On the other hand, although von der Leyen is resolute in dealing with the protection of the United States, there are still differences within the EU on this issue. This is largely due to the pursuit of "equality", with Germany and France being the biggest beneficiaries of past subsidies. Italy, the EU's third-largest economy, received only 7% of the last economic subsidy, well below Germany's 53% and France's 24%. Therefore, although the EU appears to be tough on the surface, in reality it still faces internal and external turmoil, and the future direction of the EU remains uncertain.
The EU's assertiveness in its recent series of actions has attracted widespread attention, with comments on its stance on Russia and the United States. This series of actions highlights the complex situation of the EU in the current international situation, and also arouses people's keen interest in its future direction.
First of all, the EU's sanctions against Russia demonstrate its firm position in the Ukraine crisis. The blockade of the passage of communication with Russia and the intention of blocking all means to circumvent sanctions show the EU's solemn attitude towards Russia at the geopolitical level. However, this has also come at a considerable cost to the EU, especially in terms of energy losses. This has sparked divisions within the EU, as more than half of the EU people want to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict as soon as possible, which is contrary to the EU's position of continuing to assist Ukraine. The need for the EU to strike a balance between upholding principles and taking into account domestic public opinion will be a serious challenge.
Secondly, the EU's large-scale aid operation to Ukraine shows its solidarity in times of crisis. Von der Leyen stressed the need for Western allies to provide military support to Ukraine, and countries have responded by providing advanced systems, among which the Netherlands has taken the lead. Such joint actions are expected to provide stronger support for Ukraine, but they also have the potential to escalate tensions with Russia and become a catalyst for conflict. This active involvement of the EU demonstrates its determination to stand together in times of crisis, but it must also be careful not to escalate the situation further.
Finally, the EU has responded resolutely to the protections proposed by the United States by proposing a net-zero bill to compete. Von der Leyen said that the EU will subsidize EU industries through tax reductions and investment funds to prevent companies from relocating production capacity to the United States. This shows the EU's determination to safeguard its economic interests, but there is still an internal dispute over "equal" distribution. Germany and France have dominated economic subsidies in the past, while other countries have a relatively small share, which may have deepened divisions within the EU.
Overall, the EU's performance in international affairs has demonstrated both its firm and principled position and its internal complex contradictions. The challenge for the EU is not only external pressures, but also how to coordinate and maintain unity internally. The future direction of the EU remains uncertain, and it needs to find a more balanced and sustainable development path in its international affairs.
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