N. Peter Kramer’s Weekly Column
China has been under fire from the EU since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. It is Beijing that is providing a lifeline for Russia’s war economy: it continues to supply Moscow with technology and materials, is a prominent buyer of Russian energy and ignores EU’s Russian sanctions packages. Nevertheless, European Commission President Von der Leyen signed a drone deal with her friend President Zelensky . Ukraine may spend 6 billion euros of the EU loan of 90 billion on drone equipment from China. That’s not only substantial financial support for the further developping of the on lightning speed expanding Chinese drone industry, that also in a large scale is providing the Russian army, but means at the same time support for the Chinese threat of a possible invasion of Taiwan. Beijing has this way the opportunity to study the evolution of modern warfare up close.
In the meantime Zelensky appointed a new minister of defense, the fourth one since the Russian invasion. He made a serious miscalculation. The dismissal of the popular Mykhailo Fedorov, a beloved figure among the Ukrainians and as a minister a critic of the top of the Ukrainian armed forces, provoked protest. After days of protest the Ukrainian president changed his mind, he dismissed Army Chief of Staff Syrskyi and wants Fedorov back in his government. It looks like Zelensky’s popularity at home is waning but the European leaders don’t flinch; UK’s new Prime Minister since Monday, Andy Burnham, aligned them already.
*Peter’s weekly column and the weekly EBR newsletter will resume after the summer break on September 2, 2026
