EU summit in Versailles: Departure for more independence

In Versailles, the EU states are discussing how energy supply could work without Russian resources. The big question: how much does it cost? French President Macron warns that Europe must accept the price of peace and freedom.

The goal is ambitious: Europe’s energy transition should come faster than planned. Russia’s war against Ukraine is the driving force behind it, and the head of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, put it in a nutshell shortly before the summit in Versailles: We have to get out of our dependence on gas, oil and coal from Russia.

At the moment, the Europeans still get 40 percent of their gas supplies from Russia – which are supposed to come from other countries in the future. Mainly from the US and Qatar. A clear goal is to be set at the summit in Versailles and gas from Russia is to be reduced by two thirds this year. You don’t want to be blackmailed anymore – but that will be expensive.

In order to cushion the costs for consumers, southern European countries such as Italy, Spain and Greece will demand a cap on energy prices. The richer countries take a rather critical view of this – they fear that there will then be too little incentive to switch to renewable energies.

Further sanctions could be an issue

Right now, however, the Commission wants massive investments to be made in renewables – in solar systems, wind power and hydrogen. Von der Leyen wants faster implementation of Europe’s Green Deal. “This is not just a strategic investment in our independence,” she says. And that is also “good for our industry and good for our planet”.

Further sanctions against Russia could also be discussed at the summit. In any case, however, they want to exchange views on the effect of the previous punitive measures, especially against the Russian financial sector and against certain industrial sectors. Chancellor Scholz has already made it clear that Germany is against further sanctions in the energy sector, for example against the banks through which gas deliveries are processed.

Macron praises the unity of the EU

The host at the Palace of Versailles is France’s President Macron. He will use the historic site to appeal to the unity of the 27 EU countries. Macron praised in advance that Europe had shown remarkable unity in the crisis against Russia. “But from now on, Europe must accept that there is a price to be paid for peace, freedom and democracy.”

More military spending is one thing. Chancellor Olaf Scholz has already promised that, and the Netherlands also want to increase their defense spending by a quarter. But France also wants more investments in the future and they should be financed through community debt. That would relieve Macron’s budget and could also help him in the election campaign.

With Scholz, however, this should not meet with much approval. Other heads of government are also blocking new economic programs that would further increase Europe’s debt level. Especially since the large Corona aid package, also financed through joint debt, is far from being used up.

Faster EU accession of Ukraine unlikely

A membership application from Ukraine is also on the negotiating table of the heads of state and government. President Selenskyj has submitted it – he wants to join the EU as quickly as possible. However, Selenskyj cannot hope for the green light at the summit. Many EU countries consider the discussion about Ukraine’s admission to be premature, and not even candidate status has realistic chances.

Hardly anyone talks about it openly, because it’s not the moment for criticism in the middle of the Russian war of aggression. But it’s no secret that even before the war Ukraine was still a long way from Europe’s standards for a market economy and the rule of law, that corruption and oligarchic power were part of the system.

There are therefore some indications that the summit will first look for ways to give Ukraine more support and tie it more closely to the EU. Special relationships are under discussion, a kind of intensive association agreement. But that would still be far from a concrete plan for Ukraine’s admission to the Union.