24/12/2025

WEDNESDAY | DEC 24, 2025

11

Ukraine’s aftermath boxing in the EU T WO developments related to the protracted negotiations taking place on a possible peace settlement in the war” against democracy and

freedom. 0 Strongest army in the EU: He has vowed to build the EU’s “strongest conventional army” to serve as a deterrent against Russian aggression. 0 Countering hybrid threats: He has warned that Russia’s ambitions extend beyond Ukraine, posing a direct threat to other European nations, particularly former Soviet states, although there is no evidence. Recent military initiatives As of December 2025, Merz has overseen significant military escalations: 0 Defence spending: Germany is planning a €1 trillion investment in armament and modernisation. 0 Troops in Ukraine: Merz recently suggested that German troops could participate in a coalition to secure a demilitarised zone in Ukraine following any potential peace settlement, authorising them to “retaliate against Russian incursions”. 0 Baltic defence: Germany is committed to deploying approximately 2,000 troops to Lithuania by mid-2026 to strengthen Nato’s eastern flank. The second development is linked to the call by French President Emmanuel Macron on Dec 18 for a strategic reassessment of how Europe handles the end of the Ukraine war and for European leaders to establish a direct line of communication with Putin. Speaking to reporters in Brussels following the EU decision to fund Ukraine with a loan backed by the bloc’s own budget, he said: “Either a robust and lasting peace is reached, with the required (security) guarantees, or we will need in the weeks ahead to find ways for Europeans to re-engage in a fulsome dialogue with Russia and in complete transparency.” Flip-flopping, influenced by French defence industry lobbies, has marked Macron’s and France’s response to the war in Ukraine. Soon after Russia’s invasion in February 2022 to secure the Crimea region, which, according to most independent observers, was Putin’s main rationale for the Russian “special operation”, Macron sought to help resolve the conflict diplomatically. During the war’s first summer, Macron said it was important that Moscow was not humiliated and that a European security order, including Russia, should be established. However, this dovish position was abandoned in early 2024 when he R T A K E G H E E French flip-flopping

Ukraine-Russia War show how the European Union (EU) countries are boxing themselves into a more precarious future. One is evidence of the growing internal division within the political and economic organisation over how to deal with Russia in the aftermath of the war. In a landmark summit in Brussels on Dec 19, 2025, EU leaders reached a definitive outcome regarding their support of Ukraine’s future financial needs. After failing to reach a consensus on tapping the principal of frozen Russian assets – approximately €210 billion (RM1.1 trillion) – to fund Ukraine’s budget for 2026 and 2027, the leaders agreed instead to a €90 billion loan package. The original target of a “reparations loan” proposal – using the frozen assets as collateral – collapsed due to resistance led by Belgium, which houses the Euroclear clearing house and is holding the vast majority of the funds. Prime Minister Bart De Wever cited extreme legal risks and the potential for a “Titanic-like” collapse of financial stability if Russia successfully sued Euroclear in international courts. What is notable about O T to convince the minority sceptics of the necessity for new measures that could be interpreted as escalating the war or dooming a peaceful resolution. It is especially a blow to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, frequently characterised as a “hawk”, due to his aggressive stance on European defence and his hardline policy towards Russia. German stance on Russia and the EU Since his appointment, Merz has fundamentally shifted Germany’s foreign policy from one of engagement pursued by his predecessor, Olaf Scholz, to deterrence and anti-Russia positioning. His key positions include: 0 Weaponising Russian assets: Merz has been the primary advocate for an EU plan to use frozen Russian assets to finance a loan for Ukraine’s defence. 0 “No longer at peace”: Merz has stated that while Europe is not formally at war, it is “no longer at peace” with Russia, describing Vladimir Putin’s actions as a “hybrid A N B Y L I M the decision is that the big boys in the alliance, notably Germany and France, who have had their way so far in pursuing a hard line strategy against Russia, failed

A war loan inevitably makes its financiers interested in the continuation and escalation of the conflict because defeat would also mean a financial loss. – AFPPIC

interests and pressure from the US, Nato’s most important member, with which the EU is attached to as its security umbilical cord. What is significant is that Hungarian President Viktor Orban has sounded the alarm on the EU loan to Ukraine. For this money to be recovered, Russia would have to be defeated. That is not the logic of peace but the logic of war. A war loan inevitably makes its financiers interested in the continuation and escalation of the conflict because defeat would also mean a financial loss. From this moment on, we are no longer talking merely about political or moral decisions but also about hard financial constraints that push Europe in one direction: into war. The victory that the EU appears to be winning for their constituencies is not of a stronger, more peaceful and more strategically autonomous Europe but one in which EU cohesion and unity among member states on sanctions against Russia and support for Ukraine are uncertain. In essence, a long-term reality of competition and containment looms rather than reconciliation, with the EU focused on its own security while supporting Ukraine’s integration and defence. It is also one in which their citizenry will not only have to bear a generational financial burden. They will be facing a more dangerous and unstable future. LimTeck Ghee’s Another Take is aimed at demystifying social orthodoxy. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com Children should not be left to navigate online gaming alone; parents must set boundaries, monitor use and intervene when needed. While we cannot control every corner of the digital world, we can take proactive steps to protect them. Nursyuhada Zakaria UiTM Johor Pasir Gudang Campus

shifted from a stance of maintaining dialogue to becoming one of Ukraine’s most vocal and supportive allies. The “hawk” position was characterised by a strategic objective that “Russia cannot win in Ukraine” and that European security depends on preventing a Russian victory. Macron’s hard line position since early 2024 0 Not ruling out ground troops: The most notable element of Macron’s new approach was his refusal to rule out sending Western ground troops to Ukraine if Ukrainian lines are breached and Kyiv requests assistance. This stance is designed to create “strategic ambiguity” and force Russia to anticipate direct military conflict with Nato’s nuclear power. 0 Permitting strikes on Russian soil: France granted Ukraine permission to use French-supplied missiles to strike military targets within Russian territory. 0 Rhetorical shift: Macron moved away from his earlier advice not to “humiliate Russia” and has instead described the Kremlin regime as an “adversary”. He has argued that Europe must be prepared for war while highlighting that Russia has escalated its aggression to a new level. 0 Increased aid and training: France has pledged substantial military aid (including up to €3 billion in 2024) and committed to training Ukrainian soldiers. Macron has asserted that the latest change in French position – and what he hopes will be the EU stance – towards a more conciliatory approach to Russia is aimed at ensuring that the EU will not be outweigh the benefits. Online games are intentionally engineered to be engaging, stimulating and addictive. Expecting children to exercise self control in such an environment is unrealistic. Their cognitive and emotional development simply has not reached the stage where they can foresee the consequences of prolonged gaming, conflict or exposure to harmful content.

sidelined by US-led negotiations. A more cynical view is that Macron, following the successful conclusion of a massive military armament procurement agreement with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, now wants to embellish his standing as an influential global leader before he leaves office in April 2027. The total value of the potential contracts under this letter of intent signed on Nov 17, 2025 is estimated between €15 billion and €25 billion but can be considerably more depending on the final configuration of support packages and weaponry. Now that Macron has secured for France a prominent seat at the military procurement buffet table, which Zelensky has been busy preparing for a post-war Ukraine, it appears more to Macron’s advantage to be seen as a pacifist or peacemaker rather than as a war hawk. Although the US, under President Donald Trump, will undoubtedly be at the head of the buffet table, France and the United Kingdom will be jostling for second place. EU’s future relationship with Russia What is clear from these two developments is that the EU’s future relationship with Russia will remain strongly influenced by the leaders of the strongest and most influential nations in the 27-member organisation and their political and personal interests, not all of which are transparent. Given its recent trajectory, this relationship is likely to remain adversarial, characterised by deep mistrust, sanctions and increased militarisation due to internal While many parents struggle to supervise consistently due to work and household responsibilities, practical tools exist to help us do better. Parental-control apps, device timers and content filters can provide an additional layer of oversight. The digital world moves fast, and a child’s online experience can become harmful within hours. Consistent monitoring is our first line of defence.

E

H

T

K

E

C

Importance of supervising children during online gaming

LETTERS letters@thesundaily.com

THE incident in Parit Raja involving two brothers who fought over Roblox has deeply affected many parents, myself included. I felt a profound sense of sadness for the family as the boys are still young. They should be guided, not

burdened, by the digital world around them. This is precisely why parental supervision must be central – not optional – in any household where online gaming is allowed. When it comes to young children, the risks of online gaming far