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Robert Abela: 'Ukraine cannot win this war'
On Saturday, Prime Minister Robert Abela said that it is wrong for EU leaders to be 'allergic to Donald Trump'
8 March 2025, 12:15pm
Matthew Farrugia
Matthew Farrugia
2 min read
Abela spent the majority of his time on air explaining the rationale behind his government’s stance against boosting EU arms despite voting in favour of increased defence spending
Prime Minister Robert Abela has stated that Ukraine cannot win its war against Russia, adding that it is wrong for EU member states to be “allergic to Donald Trump.”
Abela was speaking on ONE Radio after he told EU leaders that Malta does not wish to invest in lethal weapons.
On Saturday, Abela said this week’s emergency summit among EU leaders was the most difficult one he had attended. He once again took issue with the fact that the EU wants to arm itself in the wake of increased Russian aggression and American unilateralism.
READ ALSO: Abela questions whether neutrality is posing limitations on Malta’s defence
He jabbed at the name of the EU’s programme titled “ReArm”, noting that, “the name itself does not have happy connotations.”
Abela spent the majority of his time on air explaining the rationale behind his government’s stance against boosting EU arms despite voting in favour of increased defence spending.
He said that the agreement respects Malta’s neutrality and non-alignment, explaining that Malta would not hinder the bloc’s drive to arm itself so long as the country’s principles are not hindered.
He also emphasised that any debt tied to EU defence would not be shouldered by Malta.
Speaking about the Nationalist Party, Abela referenced EU Parliament President Roberta Metsola’s statement where she stressed that the bloc must be able to defend itself.
The Prime Minister said that if the PN was in government today, Malta would go into debt to buy weapons, “because that’s what Roberta Metsola believes in.”
Abela also spoke about the current state of affairs in Ukraine, as well as the United States’ shifting stance towards the issue. He noted that a number of EU leaders mentality was that the war in Ukraine will end when Ukraine wins.
“Ukraine will not win this war,” he said, clarifying that he believes that the war started from unjust aggression. Abela stressed that in the coming months, Ukraine will sit down with the US to discuss ending the war.
The Prime Minister turned his attention to the Trump administration, which he has recently started echoing with regards to Ukraine. Abela warned European leaders against “being allergic to Trump” and refusing to work with him.
“Is the EU investing in its trans-Atlantic relations?” he asked, adding that Malta will work to be close to the US during the current administration.
Abela stated that Trump’s proposed minerals deal with Ukraine would act as a security guarantee, as it would create US economic interests in the country that Washington would seek to protect.
Matthew Farrugia is a staff reporter at MaltaToday
