The Importance of European Unity in Defending Borders Against Irregular Migration
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has urged European leaders to join forces to protect their borders against irregular migration as he attends the second meeting of the European Political Community (EPC) in Moldova. The 47-country group, which includes members of the EU, Ukraine, Turkey, and the UK, discusses multiple security issues in a less formal setting than the EU or NATO. Sunak sees this meeting as an opportunity to link international engagement with his commitment to prevent the arrival of migrants into Europe.
The EPC summit comes amidst discussions of the security situation in Ukraine and the threat posed by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of the country. In response to these threats, Sunak added that the European governments and institutions should work closely together, emphasizing that Russia’s disregard for the sovereignty of other countries and the rise of organized crime threaten the continent’s borders.
Sunak has announced during this meeting that he will commence talks on a new repatriation agreement with Moldova. Moreover, he will initiate a new partnership with Bulgaria aimed at undermining the business models of human traffickers. These efforts demonstrate his commitment to fighting against illegal immigration and ensuring that the international agenda includes this issue.
Medvedev’s Response
On Tuesday, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly stated that Ukraine has “the right to project force beyond its borders to undermine Russia’s ability to project force into Ukraine itself,” stressing that military targets beyond its borders are considered legitimate self-defense targets. In response, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev publicly doubted the right of British officials who assist Kiev in the war effort, suggesting that they could be seen as military targets themselves.
Michael Clarke, a visiting professor of war studies at King’s College, commented that though Cleverly appeared taken aback, he got the wording right by pointing out that only military targets, not residents, are legitimate Russian targets. Clarke added that while Medvedev was “not a credible person these days,” his incoherent rhetoric highlighted a widespread belief in Russia that insulting the British was an acceptable way to hurt the West.
James Nixey, Director of the Russia-Eurasia program at Chatham House, contextualized Cleverly’s statement by citing how much closer the UK position was to that of the Baltic and Nordic countries when it comes to Russia as compared to France and Germany.
Additional Piece
Recent geopolitical developments, such as the Russian military invasion of Ukraine, have highlighted the importance of European unity in defending its borders against irregular migration. However, migration remains a contentious issue within the EU, with differing views on how it should be addressed.
One of the primary reasons for migrants coming to Europe is violence, persecution, and instability in their home countries. The causes of conflict are vast and complex, ranging from identity politics, resource competition, corruption to poor governance, among others. The EU recognizes the global nature of these issues and promotes global partnerships as a means of addressing them.
The EU’s efforts to address illegal migration involve working with the countries of origin to provide development assistance, improve border management, and promote legal migration and mobility. In addition, the EU seeks to address the root causes of migration by creating stability, democracy, and good governance through its external action policies. The EU also focuses on measures to tackle people smuggling, trafficking, and other forms of organized crime.
The migration issue has geopolitical implications because it creates tensions and strains among the EU member states. The EU has been divided regarding migration since 2015 when almost a million migrants seeking refuge came to Europe. Countries with higher levels of migration, such as Italy and Greece, have become overwhelmed, leading other European countries to reject accepting refugees. This has caused deep divisions among EU member states and created challenges for the EU’s cohesiveness.
However, it is crucial to recognize that migration also has significant economic benefits for the European Union. Migrants provide labor in sectors that face labor shortages, such as healthcare, hospitality, and agriculture. For instance, medical professionals from outside the EU form a substantial proportion of the healthcare workforce in the EU. Besides, research has shown that migrants contribute more in taxes than they receive in benefits.
Moreover, the EU visa policy has served to facilitate cross-border travel and thus promote tourism and business. Over the past few years, it has become easier for people to enter the EU and gain residency and citizenship. The EU’s Commissioner for Home Affairs has argued that a simpler and more flexible visa system would increase economic growth and tourism in the EU, contributing positively to its economy.
In conclusion, the importance of European unity in defending its borders against irregular migration cannot be overemphasized. Despite the challenges of managing migration within the EU member states, it is essential to recognize that migration also has significant benefits and should be managed through a comprehensive approach, involving development assistance, border management, legal migration, and tackling organized crime. Europe’s continued efforts and partnerships with countries of origin and transit are important to address the fundamental causes of migration while also reaping the economic benefits of migration in the EU.
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British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Thursday will urge European leaders to work together to defend their borders against irregular migration, as he joins some 50 counterparts at a summit just 21km from the border with Ukraine.
Sunak will travel to Chisinau, the capital of Moldova, for the second meeting of European political communitywhich should be dominated by discussion of the security threat posed by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Ahead of his trip, Sunak said he would make sure “tackling illegal immigration is firmly on the international agenda” as he hopes to stem the flow of migrants across Europe.
“Europe is facing unprecedented threats to our borders, from Putin’s utter disregard for the sovereignty of other countries to the rise of organized immigration crime,” he said, adding that they could only be tackled by “governments and institutions of the continent who work closely together”.
The 47-country EPC is the brainchild of French President Emmanuel Macron, bringing together EU member states and other countries including the UK, Turkey and Ukraine to discuss multiple security issues in a less formal setting than the EU or NATO.
For Sunak, the EPC is a means to re-engage with the EU after bitter squabbles over Brexit; it is also an opportunity to link international engagement with his pledge to “stop the boats” carrying migrants across the Channel.
Sunak will announce in Chisinau the start of talks on a new repatriation agreement with Moldova and a new partnership with Bulgaria to undermine the business model of human traffickers.
Meanwhile, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev described Britain as an “eternal enemy” on Wednesday after Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said Kiev had the right to attack military targets in Russia for self-defense reasons.
Asked at a news conference in Estonia on Tuesday about drone strikes on a Moscow residential neighborhood for which Kyiv has not claimed responsibility, Cleverly declined to comment.
However, he said that Ukraine has “the right to project force beyond its borders to undermine Russia’s ability to project force into Ukraine itself,” noting that striking “military targets beyond its borders” was “recognized internationally as legitimate as part of a self-defense nation”.
In response, wrote Medvedev, now deputy chairman of the Russian security council Chirping that Britain was waging “an undeclared war against Russia” and suggested that any British officials who assisted the Kiev war effort could be seen as legitimate military targets.
Michael Clarke, a visiting professor of war studies at King’s College London, said that although Cleverly appeared to have been taken aback, he “got the wording right” by pointing out that the only legitimate Russian targets were military targets, which did not include residents suburb of Moscow.
Clarke added that while Medvedev was “not a credible person these days,” his rhetoric highlighted a widespread sentiment in Russia that “you can get to the West by insulting the British, without fear of retaliation, which you can’t do with Washington ”.
James Nixey, director of the Russia-Eurasia program at Chatham House, a think tank, said Cleverly’s intervention reflected how much closer the UK’s position on Moscow was to the Baltic and Nordic nations than to France and Germany, which they have “always looked to be more accommodating to Russia”.
https://www.ft.com/content/2ad751ad-bae5-4358-88b4-5b64029c241c
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