Does Ukraine have no choice but to become a kind of Israel in Eastern Europe?
At least that’s what President Volodymyr Zelensky suggested in his recent statements to the Ukrainian radio station 1+1.
He used the Jewish state, which had fought its enemies in the region for years, as a model.
If we are to believe Zelensky, the situation Ukraine is prepared for is a permanent state of war: a dire prospect.
The Kiev government seems to tremble at the prospect of a change of government to cut off the massive aid it now receives from the superpower in Washington.
And he fears that other members of NATO, tired of financing this war under public pressure, will follow the example of the United States.
The Kiev government is well aware that the country’s future depends on both military and financial aid from the West; Without this assistance, Ukraine cannot continue its struggle to reclaim the territories illegally occupied by Russia.
But now Zelensky has another strategy: to increase the production of weapons in the country, as he himself explained.
“We want to maximize our production. Ukraine can do that. After meeting with industry representatives, Zelenski assured that our defense industry will achieve good results.
In addition to artillery and ammunition, Kiev also wants to produce missiles, drones and battle tanks on its territory.
According to Zelensky, Ukraine has not only the technical basis for this, but also the necessary financing.
No one doubts the latter, at least for the time being, thanks to the great economic aid it has received from the West.
But at the same time, Moscow knows very well where these factories are, and they can quickly become an easy target for Russian missiles.
As for the Israeli model that Zelensky talks about: The Jewish state receives weapons, financing and political support from Washington, but is not a NATO member, so it is not covered by the guarantees of Article 5 of that organization.
Washington may eventually be willing to offer Ukraine a deal similar to what it offered Israel, but there is a big difference.
The Jewish state is not only a nuclear power, but also has a clear military advantage over its Arab neighbors. For Russia, it is something that cannot be said for Ukraine, at least for now.
Meanwhile, neighboring Poland, a NATO member, wants to become the continent’s largest military power within a few years, thanks above all to massive arms purchases from the United States and South Korea.
Money doesn’t seem to matter much in Warsaw: Over the past two years, Poland has sharply increased its defense budget; this is now half of the German budget, but doubles to GDP: more than 4 percent. Has anyone been talking about peace in Europe lately?