"We defend our freedom and our democracy.The free world will never surrender, ”said the head of government on the Tarmac of the Romanian military base in Romania in front of Belgian, French, American, Dutch, British, Romanian and Italian soldiers.
Upon triggering the Russian invasion in Ukraine, the Allies began the deployment of soldiers in various places in the eastern part of Europe.Four Belgian F-16s extended and extended their air police mission to the Baltic region while 300 soldiers were sent to Romania as part of a European battalion under French command.In total, including the American detachment -the more numerous -a brigade of some 3.000 foreign soldiers is at the Mihail Kogalniceanu military base of Constanta on the banks of the Black Sea.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine constitutes in the eyes of the Prime Minister the second turning point that Europe saw after the fall of the iron curtain.It aims at the fundamental values that animate the European Union and NATO: freedom, democracy, the rule of law and human rights.
The activation of NATO's reaction force has been a first since its creation, he recalled, and shows that the alliance "is more united and determined than ever"."Putin believed that he could take control of Ukraine and undermine the foundations of NATO.How much he was wrong, "he added.
According to him, the invasion of Ukraine is part of a broader project of the Russian president who aims to weaken all of Europe and the democratic project."Let’s not be mistaken: Russia has a strategy.She does not like the West, she does not like Europe and seeks to destabilize it.For a long time, they have been working on several levels: the military, the energy, the disinformation.Was there a doubt about Russia: is she or not an enemy?Now there is no doubt.At European level, some said that we must have a discussion with Russia.Now we see that it is useless, "he explained on the sidelines of his speech.
The political, military and humanitarian support provided to Ukraine will continue, he assured.Like the Romanian president, Klaus Iohannis, who spoke before him, he nevertheless recalled the defensive vocation."NATO is and will remain a defensive alliance.We have never looked for climbing, and we will never do it ".
What could be NATO's red lines not to be crossed?"Our red line is our borders," he said on the sidelines of the ceremony.The Flemish liberal, however, has remained much more elusive on the use of chemical weapons, as mentioned in connection with the siege of the port city of Marioupol."The atrocities that we see every day, it is certain that it is difficult to digest but the first concern is to protect our population.The last thing you want is to train the European continent in the war ".
The Prime Minister shared the Belgian soldiers' meal before flying to Moldova, the last stage of a three -day mission which led him to Slovakia, Poland and Romania.Each time, the war in Ukraine was at the heart of discussions with its foreign counterparts.
