Why Macron and Scholz’s change of course regarding Ukraine’s attack on Russia is important

Good morning. Today I report on a major taboo-breaking in favour of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and our competition correspondent hears that the EU is leading the global race for artificial intelligence only in terms of regulation.

Listen to the first two episodes of our new podcast series Untold: Power to sellcovering the Qatargate scandal, an alleged corruption scandal that exposed significant flaws in the functioning of European democracy. Subscribe and listen to Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from.

breakthrough

Volodymyr Zelensky came to Europe this week seeking more Western weapons and permission to use them as he pleases. He will be very pleased with the result.

Context: After more than two years of war, Ukraine is outnumbered and outgunned on an increasingly strained front as Russia leverages its superior capabilities. Ukrainian cities also suffer daily bombings that kill dozens of civilians each week.

After months of bleating in Western capitals banning Ukraine from using its weapons to strike back at targets in Russia, a major breakthrough came last night when French President Emmanuel Macron gave in to Zelensky’s request and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz voiced his approval.

“How can we explain to Ukraine that it must protect its cities but does not have the right to attack the places where the rockets come from? It is like telling them: ‘We give you weapons, but you cannot use them to defend yourself,'” Macron said at a press conference with his German host.

Macron, who has equipped Kyiv with SCALP long-range missiles, made it clear that this only applies to attacks on military sites that Russia uses to attack Ukraine.

Scholz, one of the most cautious Western politicians on the issue, said Ukraine had every right “under international law” to attack targets in Russia for self-defense purposes.

The change of course by the two largest military powers in the EU could have serious consequences. The majority of missiles and bombs hitting Ukraine are fired from Russian launch bases or dropped from aircraft in Russian airspace.

These statements came just hours after Zelensky argued at a press conference in Brussels that it was “unfair” that Russia “can attack with artillery and long-range weapons … and cannot shoot back because it does not have permission to do so.”

A comprehensive policy change could take even longer. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, sitting next to Zelensky in Brussels, promised to send 30 F-16 fighter jets by 2028, but reiterated that the jets would only be allowed to hit targets inside Ukraine.

“Some (EU) member states were against it and have changed their minds,” said EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell yesterday evening. “The decision lies with each individual member state.”

Chart du jour: Young and disillusioned

Polls show that the far right, once taboo for young people across Europe, is on the rise. In Germany, 22 percent of 14- to 29-year-olds supported the AfD in a recent poll; in 2023, that figure was just 12 percent.

Left behind

Auditors concluded that the EU has failed to meet its ambitions in the field of artificial intelligence, citing unclear investment targets and a funding gap compared to the US and China.

But the bloc’s groundbreaking regulation of AI could be a ray of hope. writes Javier Espinoza.

Context: In 2018, the EU committed to increasing its investment in AI to become a world leader in the development of these technologies, but its ambitions did not match its actions, according to a report published today by the European Court of Auditors.

Instead, a fragmented domestic market and slow delivery of funds have dashed the bloc’s dreams of being ahead in the AI ​​race. Others, including China and the US, are now ahead.

“Management (in the EU) is fragmented and scattered, and one cannot see to what extent AI needs to grow in the EU,” says Mihails Kozlovs, the chief EU auditor responsible for the audit.

However, the auditors also pointed out that the EU is leading the way in developing rules for AI. Earlier this month, member states adopted the AI ​​​​Law, the first such law in the world.

The auditors said regulatory certainty could be an incentive for AI companies to set up in the EU.

The auditors recommended that the EU should reassess its investment targets for AI technologies and Member States’ contribution to them, and also explore the possibility of more AI-focused financial support at EU level.

Meanwhile, the European Commission defended its record on AI, saying that the EU already invests more than one billion euros per year in AI through various programs.

What to watch today

1. Sauli Niinistö, Special Advisor to the European Commission on Security and Defence, attends a meeting of the College of Commissioners.

2. Hungary’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó visits Belarus.

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