EU in its final stage: Now Ukrainian troops are to secure Europe's "sovereignty"

The latest security policy highlight from Brussels comes from Andrius Kubilius, the EU Defense Commissioner, who has apparently decided that Europe's borders should henceforth be protected by Ukrainian soldiers.

A brilliant idea: If you consistently sabotage your own defense structures for decades, you can eventually outsource them conveniently—like a poorly managed agency that ultimately decides to hand over its core tasks to interns.

Of course, it is officially called "border protection." Unofficially, it sounds more like, "We no longer know how to defend states, so let’s try soldiers from Ukraine." And who knows, perhaps they will also be excellent at protecting European city centers from the most dangerous enemy of our time: the local population, which occasionally makes the mistake of having an opinion.

After a possible peace in Ukraine, thousands of battle-hardened soldiers would be standing around "idle." What a terrible waste! The EU comes just in time. A union that for decades has not even been able to get an EU army on paper can now finally do what it does best: re-label responsibility and finance it externally. The EU taxpayer, as always, trustingly opens their wallet—after all, someone has to pay for the Commission's geopolitical fantasies.

Kubilius raves about Ukrainian troops in the Baltics, where a multinational security biotope is already thriving: German brigades, US battalions, and anyone else who currently has time, weapons, and a signed NATO parking permit.

The region now resembles a military escape room: many players, many strategies—no one knows exactly how to get out.

"You have to learn from history," says Kubilius. A statement that has about as much substance as a press statement from Ursula von der Leyen. Eighty years ago, the Balts were also on the side of the forces fighting against Russia.

Today, the same melody is being played again, only without historical uniforms and with the reassuring conviction that this time everything is morally impeccable.

The central question arises: When did Europe actually get used to handing over core security policy functions to a country that is itself dependent on foreign military aid? And what does that say about the EU? Apparently, the Brussels engine room has decided that strategic sovereignty is best achieved through strategic dependence. A concept as logical as a fire blanket made of petrol.

Kubilius hastily emphasizes that Ukrainian troops would, of course, not displace anyone. Of course not—the European security apparatus is now a multinational album, where only holographic stickers are missing. The main thing is that it is colorful; the main thing is that there are many flags; the main thing is that someone with weapons is standing around.

This brings us to the core of the matter: The EU, which has lulled itself for years with the fairy tale of "strategic autonomy," ends up with the modern version of a mercenary force. All that is missing is someone suggesting the establishment of an EU Foreign Legion made up of third-country nationals. The PowerPoint presentation for this already exists—perhaps even in three languages.

Officially, the Ukrainians are only supposed to be at the Russian border. Unofficially, we know the dynamics: a few demonstrations, a little civil discontent, a little unexpected reality—and some EU commissioner is already talking about "temporary support measures in urban areas." Duration: of course, limited, at least until the day after the day after tomorrow.

Governments that distrust their own populations develop a remarkable fascination with external instruments of power. Saudi Arabia has been doing it for decades. And if the EU is good at one thing, it's the uncritical importation of questionable ideas—as long as they don't come from its own population.

So what could go wrong if heavily armed, war-experienced foreign troops are stationed in Europe, whose loyalty naturally depends on geopolitical weather conditions? Only those who want to fantasize about "conspiracies" would ask such a question. The modern EU citizen nods, pays, and hopes that Brussels—as always—has everything under control.