Watch: ‘I Don’t Believe Ukraine Can Win The War’: Robert Abela
Prime Minister Robert Abela said he doesn’t believe Ukraine can win its war against Russia and warned the EU cannot continue financing the war without US assistance.
In an interview on ONE, Abela said that “certain compromises” must be made if the three-year war is to come to an end.
“I hope the EU’s position next week won’t be one of foot-stamping and insisting that the only way for the war to end is for Ukraine to win it,” he said. “Let’s be realistic, I don’t think this can ever happen.”
“Some argue that the war can only end if Ukraine wins, and that the EU must do whatever it takes, including pumping billions of euros into weapons. However, I have never believed this was possible, and I believe it even less now.”
“Neither do I believe that the EU can keep financing this war alone without the help of the US. Some believe it can, but these people are entering dangerous territory because such a strategy will entail burdening our people with disproportionate financial burdens.”
“EU countries will have to slash their healthcare, economic investment, and environmental budgets to finance a war, and this logic concerns me because many people that this is the way forward.”
Abela refused to express his opinion on the recent fiery meeting between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy, arguing it will harm Malta’s attempt to host peace talks between Ukraine and Russia.
However, he said that Trump’s attempt to get things moving after three years of stagnation “must be recognised”.
“With all due respect, there has been no progress in three years – if anything we regressed – and there has been no attempt to resolve the war. If you don’t make progress in three years, it means the EU’s strategic decisions weren’t correct.”
Abela also warned that some countries have a vested interest in prolonging the war for as long as possible because they are eyeing weaponry investment as an economic niche or because they plan to reconstruct Ukraine when the war is done.
“However, the majority of EU people don’t want this, they want to live in peace and quiet and to stop seeing people dying in Ukraine and Russia,” he said.
Abela also dismissed any suggestions that Malta could amend its constitutional neutrality, arguing that it gives the nation a unique advantage in terms of being a pro-peace player on the international stage.
“It would be crazy to revise our neutrality. While we aren’t the only neutral EU country, we are the one which treasures neutrality the most and has the most constitutional safeguards. Why weaken that which makes us strong and unique?”
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