Alona Lebedieva: Europe Needs Resolve, Not the Illusion of Unity

KYIV, UKRAINE, May 20, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- In Brussels, President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola delivered a key speech at the “Europe at the Crossroads” forum, calling for a “reset of Europe as a global power.” Metsola emphasized that the time for hypothetical decisions is over — Europe must act decisively, collectively, and swiftly. She advocated for a more realistic, self-critical, and pro-industrial European Union, with less regulatory pressure and greater space for innovation.

She paid particular attention to security and defense issues, underlining the need for a strategic consolidation of European defense sectors and a long-term approach to challenges. The President also highlighted the importance of transatlantic partnerships, particularly with the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, and concluded her speech with confidence in Europe’s ability to renew itself and once again drive global change.

“The European Union faces a historic test. On the one hand, there are internal problems: institutional fragmentation, excessive bureaucracy, and the national egos of individual governments. On the other — an aggressive Russia, which is not only waging war against Ukraine but is increasingly testing the EU’s resilience through hybrid attacks and energy blackmail,” notes Alona Lebedieva, owner of the Ukrainian diversified industrial and investment group Aurum Group.

In her view, transformation must be backed by a readiness to act — especially in a situation where weak links within the EU pose real risks to the entire community:

“Some capitals openly challenge the EU’s common position. Hungary has repeatedly blocked sanctions against Russia, while the Slovak government demands an ‘immediate ceasefire’ and refuses to provide military aid to Ukraine. These actions underscore the problem of national egotism, where the political preferences of individual leaders override the common interest.”

The complex decision-making mechanism also plays a significant role: consensus among 27 countries often leads to paralysis or decisions of “minimal action.” Roberta Metsola also pointed out that endless summits with 27 different interpretations open the door to hostile actors. Thus, institutional reform — including the shift to qualified majority voting in foreign and security policy — is becoming a matter of survival for the Union.

“From Ukraine’s perspective, which is confronting an aggressor every day, the most alarming thing is that these risks are only increasing. Election results in some EU countries, as well as recent reports about Russia building new military bases near the borders with Finland and Estonia, are clear signals showing just how dangerous internal softness can be in external confrontation. For us, the question is not whether the EU can be strong, but whether it will find the political will not to turn a blind eye, not to delay, and not to betray its own principles. Because Europe’s internal weakness is a weakness Russia always knows how to exploit,” Lebedieva believes.

Ukraine expects a consistent and principled response without double standards or exemptions for certain member states. Any attempts to “appease” the Kremlin are seen as dangerously naive: if the aggressor is not stopped in Ukraine, other countries may soon be under threat.

“The European Union has reached a critical juncture. Internal divisions and external threats are testing the very idea of European unity. And yet, the EU is already demonstrating its ability to transform: it is providing more aid to Ukraine, reducing its energy dependence on Russia, and revising its defense policy. But more work lies ahead: the decision-making mechanisms must be reformed, the egotism of certain leaders curbed, and the Union expanded — opening its doors to Ukraine and other candidate countries,” says Alona Lebedieva.

If Europe succeeds in uniting, it will remain a powerful global actor capable of defending its values and ensuring peace on the continent. But if it succumbs to internal division and external pressure, it risks losing everything it has built over decades.

Alona Lebedieva
Aurum Group
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