The EU ambassador believes that it is still a bit early to discuss what the future security architecture, prompted by the recent statements from the US in Munich, will look like. This will become clearer in the coming months, Maternova stated, adding that it "definitely won't be the same as it is now."
In her view, Europe needs to take matters into its own hands and rely more on its own resources. She noted that many European leaders have long acknowledged this, particularly French President Emmanuel Macron, who convened an emergency meeting in Paris to discuss the situation.
When asked about the possibility of a European military contingent in Ukraine, Maternova replied that she hopes this will happen. She mentioned that throughout the full-scale war in Ukraine, Europe has already broken "numerous taboos."
"Europe, including military spending, is the largest entity supporting Ukraine. If we combine military, economic, and financial assistance, it amounts to over $140 billion in dollars, a significant portion of which is military aid. This concerns the EU and European institutions. I truly hope that tonight's meeting in Paris will become a 'cornerstone' on this path. Europe has stood with Ukraine, continues to do so, and will keep doing so," she said.
Maternova emphasized that the EU "is a collective of states that do not always act quickly and do not always show determination immediately."
"We need time to come to some conclusions. But we have a very powerful common strength, and right now, we are the most reliable partner for Ukraine, possibly a bit dull, but the most dependable one to rely on. Therefore, I hope that in the long term, Europe will resolve this issue (the question of deploying peacekeepers. – "GORDON"), and undoubtedly, Europe must be at the negotiating table," the EU ambassador concluded.