Euronews requested Dutch MEP Thijs Reuten, who’s the European Parliament’s shadow rapporteur on Ukraine and sits for the centre-left S&D group on the international affairs committee, what he thinks about potential rivalry between the US and EU over entry to Ukraine’s mineral wealth.
As president Volodymyr Zelenskyy headed for Washington to ink a deal on entry to Ukrainian uncooked supplies in change for as but unspecified assist from the US, Euronews requested Dutch MEP Thijs Reuten about the important thing geopolitical growth as Russia’s struggle on the EU’s jap neighbour enters its fourth yr.
Euronews: Are you involved in regards to the obvious effort by the Trump administration to muscle out different companions and safe entry to Ukraine’s mineral wealth, regardless of the EU and Ukraine having signed a strategic partnership deal in 2021, as Fee vice-président Stéphane Séjourné recalled this week?
Thijs Reuten: Trump’s method to Ukraine leaves a lot to be desired, together with the delusional blackmail in relation to uncooked supplies that Trump tried. I’m glad that Europe has continued to face side-by-side with Ukraine and its management, enabling it to barter with the Trump administration on fairer phrases and situations.
Russian imperial aggression signifies that this deal in apply is nugatory with out safety ensures for Ukraine.
Is there a hazard a bilateral US-Ukraine deal may have implications for the EU’s ambition to extend provide chains to pleasant nations, and will it have an effect on Ukraine’s accession to the EU?
Ukraine understands that its relationship with Europe is a long-lasting partnership, not primarily based on a Europe-First coverage. The EU is raring for Ukraine to grow to be a member of the EU and is keen to put money into the nation’s financial system as a result of it advantages Ukraine and Europe. So no, this deal doesn’t endanger Ukraine’s EU accession.
Extra broadly, do you sense that world competitors for essential minerals is intensifying, and do you assume it may gasoline additional geopolitical stress, and even struggle?
The worldwide competitors for essential minerals, and extra broadly pure sources equivalent to iron and even potable water, has been intensifying and driving conflicts for the final a long time. My worry is that Trump, Putin and Jinping are all too desirous to return to a power-based order whereas throwing away the worldwide rules-based order that has acted because the guardrails for this competitors. In Ukraine, as soon as once more Europe witnesses first-hand the sorrow that such politics carry.
What can the EU do to make sure each rapid stability and future entry to essential minerals? Does the EU’s Crucial Uncooked Supplies Act stay match for objective, or will it have to be adjusted to the creating new political actuality?
The EU must be stronger, bolder, quicker and extra brave, however not on the expense of our ideas. Our ideas and lack of double requirements ought to be our distinctive promoting level – it’s what makes the EU a fascinating accomplice. We don’t blackmail, strangle or extort different actors, however deal with them pretty, as companions. For instance, whereas we can’t depart from environmental requirements, human rights and democratic processes in relation to the mining of essential uncooked supplies, we ought to be keen to completely assist these – politically, financially and technically.
