Common debt to finance the war on Russia: the EU puts on its helmet

The war in Ukraine must continue, but to continue supporting Kiev – especially in view of US disengagement in the event of Donald Trump's victory in the November presidential elections – the European Union needs money, a lot of money.
With the new über alles which is "Russia must not win this war", perhaps even at the cost of sending troops to the front in support of the Ukrainian ones, during the European Council the 27 leaders of the member states are wondering how to receive the funds necessary to send more and more weapons to Ukraine and, at the same time, restore their arsenals now emptied by the continuous military aid packages sent to Kiev.
In short, Europe does not want to hear about dealing with Vladimir Putin despite Pope Francis' recent appeal to try to put an end to the war, but the situation at the front is complicated with Russia which in its own way has sent a message to the European Council: a hail of missiles that are hitting Ukrainian energy plants and infrastructure, with a million people already in the dark.
More generally, without a breakthrough, Russia could soon break through the Ukrainian defensive line and head towards Kiev or Odessa; essentially Putin would be about to win the war given that Zelensky's troops have been without men, money and ammunition for some time.
The idea launched by France – which Italy also likes, less the frugal ones – is to create common debt again – in the form of Eurobonds as done for the Recovery Fund – to revolutionize European defense, while at the same time guaranteeing all 'Ukraine those weapons and ammunition necessary to face Russia.
read also Ukraine, here's what they want to hide from us until the European elections Common debt to wage war on Russia On the sidelines of the European Council, EU High Representative Josep Borrel declared that "we must not frighten people unnecessarily, war is not imminent".
Beyond that "imminent" that doesn't make one sleep too soundly, from a communication point of view it was several community leaders who raised fears of an escalation.
In fact, just a few hours earlier, the President of the European Council Charles Michel puffed out his chest by declaring that "if we want peace, let's prepare for war, we need to spend more on defense and produce more ammunition".
A concept similar to that reiterated several times recently by Emmanuel Macron.
The specter of direct involvement of the EU in the war between Russia and Ukraine is therefore not a journalistic invention, but is the result of the verbal escalation that is taking place in the Old Continent.
Now, however, the EU finds itself faced with the Hamletic question of how to find the money necessary to carry on this war.
Asking for a direct contribution from the Member States would seem to be out of the question, especially in the midst of the electoral campaign for the European elections in June.
Italy would like to see military spending separated from a country's deficit calculation, so that it can spend more on defense without having to pay attention to budget rules.
However, our government would also have supported the French proposal to resort to Eurobonds again.
“We believe in Europe – explained our Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani -.
And we believe in a European defense.
Eurobonds for defense are a good idea, as was done for Covid.
European defense is a path that also requires financial support, I believe we have good reasons to convince other countries too".
However, the use of common debt does not seem to convince the historically more rigid countries to use these instruments, even if this time the frugal front seems to be less cohesive than in the past given that many in the East fear an attack from Russia.
As per good community practice, every decision will probably be taken at the European Council in June, when the polls will be closed, but in the meantime the conflict is going on and the difficulties of the stoic Ukrainian army appear to be increasingly evident: in the face of the political needs dictated from the electoral campaign, even the war can wait a long time at the front there are no children of Michel or Macron.