In 2014 a weak West watched as Russia took over Crimea. It was part of Russia’s aggressive policy of expansion in Eastern Europe. Russia responded to the West which had helped undermine an elected President of Ukraine because he was blocking closer ties to the EU leading to EU membership.
The UK like the EU it belonged to made its foreign policy the return of Crimea to Ukraine. More sensibly the UK stated it would not send in troops to try to evict the Russians. Russia made clear it was keeping Crimea and held a referendum which the West did not accept which showed big support for Crimea being Russian.
So what is the reality of our policy to return Crimea to Ukraine? Fighting to do that would kill too many of the people in the Crimea the EU/UK claims to want to liberate. Declaring war on Russia would entail huge loss of life and damage. So the UK pretends there is some diplomatic way of restoring Crimea to a Ukraine that wants to become part of the EU. As this is all about Russian aggression meeting EU expansion we should leave the problem to the EU. It is absurd to suggest the UK can find a diplomatic means to return Crimea.
Now the PM is doing the same stupid thing over Palestine. Hamas and Israel are at war. Hamas does not want a two state solution because it wishes to remove the state of Israel from the Middle East. Israel does not want a two state solution as it regards Hamas as a terrorist organisation which will never live peacefully as a neighbour alongside it. All the time Hamas keep the hostages and fight for every building and street in Gaza, often operating from hospitals and blocks of flats, offering to recognise a Palestinian state helps them and impedes negotiations for peace.
Facing fierce attacks from the Conservatives and Reform on this policy, the PM has now issued a clarification to explain he does not want the Palestine State he “recognises” to contain any influence or power for Hamas. This is just ludicrous. Gaza would be an important part of a Palestinian state and it is currently being controlled by Hamas who fight on and refuse the give up the hostages. They started the war with their terrorist murders of Israeli civilians. He has to deal with the fragmented pattern of Palestinian settlement and government as it currently is.
I share his grave concern about the loss of life and the destruction in Gaza and like most people want to see peace. What is clear is the UK has no influence over either Hamas or Israel to help bring about that peace. We need to let Qatar, Egypt, the USA and the others who do have some influence work on peace negotiations. Hamas will continue to claim Israel’s response is disproportionate whilst Israel will claim Hamas as a terrorist organisation should not be running Gaza policy. What is the UK’s answer to that fundamental disagreement, which stands in the way of peace? Recognising a state that does not exist, and stating one of the two combatants should not be involved in its future government is fantasy politics.
September 22, 2025
I fear Sir John is getting a little out of his depth. He may be an expert on economics but no PM ever considered him for a job in the Foreign Office. Is he going to tell us that we should leave the UN as he told us we should leave the EU?
September 22, 2025
Stephen, Sir John merely points out that the UK does not have influence with many countries/groups and it is silly of Starmer to suggest his actions will have any effect.
I agree with Sir John and would also question why it is the UK’s job to bring out injured children from Gaza (with many other family members) and treat them in UK hospitals. Why do we not encourage and support neighbouring countries to provide this service?
September 22, 2025
@PeteB +1
September 22, 2025
I hope so. The UN has 22 Arab states, 55 Muslim states, countless anti-Western states in debt bondage to China, and one Jewish state. It’s pronouncements on Israel are no surprise to anyone.
Like the League of Nations before it, the UN has been bought by the bad guys. The sooner we leave it the better.
September 22, 2025
@Nick – so very true, the ego of those that don’t like Democracy, but want to rule the World. Another version of the Socialist our of control WEF.
The rest of us call them Dictators, but then so is Two Tier Kier Starmer all creating mandates on the hoof
September 22, 2025
I’m with you all the way. Time to abolish the UN.
September 22, 2025
Correct
September 22, 2025
Nick, ++++
September 22, 2025
@Nick – League of Nations then the United Nations started out with a well meaning purpose wishing to have parties at odds with one another sit down and talk, jaw, jaw and not war, war.
Then through Bureaucratic interference from those that couldn’t get elected and didn’t want to be accountable to a mere rable – the people. They chose instead, just as with the WEF, to impose themself as a World Government, a Autocracy, thrashing around trying to meddle in things they could pontificate on but not have to do or be held responsible for out comes.
Our Danger is our so-called Government, its Parliament, its MP’s and the so-called Lords all hate the people and will fight them in preference to defending the very idea of Democracy. They want a Dictatorship, not Democracy that’s why the word Law has been assigned to International Agreements, when there is no such as International Law. It is a construct to aid ego. That’s why TwoTierKier Starmer gives away UK Territory and UK money. as he doesn’t give a monkeys about the UK or its people he just wants to ingratiate himself in the hope of recognition from like minded Dictators everywhere. That’s why TwoTierKier Starmer recognises Terrorism and sets the UK up to pay these people with our money. The all might give him a job when hi luck runs out here
September 22, 2025
Yes we should leave the UN and it will be good if we eventually leave the EU.
Yesterday 2TK looked idiotic saying he recognised Palestine. He may do but I doubt the majority of British people do. This was to appease a section of society which is rapidly gaining undue influence over public bodies.
No doubt when tipping point is reached and they clamour for Sharia law 2TK and his ilk will agree.
It will be interesting to see the women’s rights groups, alphabet soup brigade and human rights groups reaction to the subjugation of women, the lack of property rights for women and the end of rape in marriage.
These idiots don’t know what they’re letting themselves in for.
etc ed
September 22, 2025
Not compatible
September 22, 2025
We will be silenced long before tipping point, with back door blasphemy laws dressed in the cloak of yet another ‘phobia’ or ‘ism’.
A Conservative (laugh out loud) by the name of Dominic Grieve has, I believe, had a lot to do with this new ‘phobia’ definition.
An excellent post by the way, echoing many of my thoughts on the breath taking stupidity of those groups you mention.
September 22, 2025
Stephen, I feel confident Sir John has the capacity to read around more than one subject of interest so would not dismiss his thoughts on foreign affairs so immediately, as you have done. As for Foreign Secretary being the ultimate example of a developed well informed mind. Can I suggest you google our recent Mastermind Foreign Secretary’s performance? Now that is an example of someone demonstrating limited capacity…..
September 22, 2025
Not really. He’s just pointing out the logic of the situation, which is undeniable. Added to which, Starmer has now alienated himself from Israel. Fortunately not alienated the UK, as Reform on 34% and Conservatives on about half that have stated that they don’t agree with it… though we have to be sceptical that anything said by the latter would be carried over into government.
September 22, 2025
SS,
‘ I fear Sir John is getting a little out of his depth.’
True. In any case comments on Israel on this site get deleted if you point out anything inconvenient to the narrative. Probably why it is rarely a topic.
September 22, 2025
+1
September 22, 2025
Fantasy Politics from a Fantasy Government. Starmer is desperate to see himself as being important to the global political scene, not realising he is a complete laughing stock with his shortsighted and idiotic stance. He thinks he’s resolving global issues when all he’s doing is destroying Britain, angering the British People and making a fool of himself to the rest of the world.
September 22, 2025
Exactly Two Tier, Free Gear, Never Here, Smash the Gangs, robotic Kier is truly dire. He should listen to Trump – drill baby drill, ditch net zero, fire Ed, not recognise Gaza, tell Kahn to stop wrecking London, do whatever it take to stop illegal immigration (it destroys the country from the inside), cut taxes, deregulate, cut the size of the state… so U turns on every issue!
September 22, 2025
The expansionist policy in Eastern Europe was by NATO, despite the promise by James Baker of “not one inch East” and warnings by Kennan among others of the likely consequences.
Russia duly and inevitably responded.
The net result has been ruin for Ukraine and the creation of a Russia-China axis… precisely what wiser men sought to prevent.
September 22, 2025
We have funded the slaughter of the Ukrainian people, who were mostly innocent. A horrific chapter in British history.
1,200,000 Ukrainian men dead. Even the mad Ukrainian government is saying they will have to import multitudes from the sub-continent.
September 22, 2025
Exactly!
“Not One Inch East” is the key to the shocking and completely unnecessary war in Ukraine.
All because the West broke their promises to Mikhail Gorbachev!
September 22, 2025
Our politicians love pretending to be world leaders. Our legacy media love laying along with it. Our taxpayers broadly go along with it too (e.g. support for money to Ukraine, belief that Putin is an existential threat to us, now-withering support for net zero). However, long gone are the days when, for example, our Royal Navy would “defeat” the slave trade, and we could afford the cost of doing it.
I wish as individuals that we could voice opinions on conflicts elsewhere, but as a nation we had governments and oppositions that focused on our woes, not others’. Their business is theirs, our business is ours.
September 22, 2025
Sir John,
I would suggest that our government, by recognising Hamas, is helping a terrorist organisation which is proscribed, which is a criminal offence.
Israel appears to be a victim of it’s own Iron Dome’s success. Very few missiles fired into Israel get through and so, when they retaliate to the endless stream of missiles fired by those that wish to see Israel wiped out, Hamas and Co scream we’re victims, a narrative the MSM run with.
September 22, 2025
Good morning
I would like to make a few points.
1. Russia invaded because the elected president was overthrown.
2. Hamas when elected killed its fellow Palestinians (Fatah) and forbade any further elections. These are not peaceful people.
And finally. Why is TTK always on the wrong side of the argument? Whether it being supporting convicted murderers to giving away British Territory, he seems to like being universally disliked.
What an odd fellow.
September 22, 2025
The reason Russia took control of Crimea was to protect its Naval base in Sevastopol and this action followed the US/EU backed coup in 2014 when the elected President of Ukraine was ousted. As for Gaza, the people living there have been subjected to decades of oppression by Israel controlling movement and essential services. Faced with this sustained oppression it’s hardly surprising people rise up and seek their freedom indeed this is exactly what’s happened in other countries eg South Africa and Ireland. There is no doubt Israel is ( behaving badly ed)in Gaza and exercising a form of apartheid in the West Bank. Why is the West blind to these facts because the evidence is overwhelming, indeed avoiding the issue surely makes us complicit?
September 22, 2025
Funny old genocide in Gaza, the population has exploded! Funny that the wall between Egypt and Gaza remains intact.
Why do the 50 Mozlem States refuse to accept women and children from Gaza?
September 22, 2025
Only men count, women third class domestic slaves – thought you knew that, or is your sarcasm unclear?
September 22, 2025
The answer is obvious, Michael : The people of Gaza voted for a Hamas Government in the full knowledge that its sole objective was to wipe out Israel and its people. Nothing has changed and Hamas and its Iranian sponsors still want to destroy the State of Israel. Until the people of Gaza and the West Bank will come to the table and negotiate peaceful coexistence with Israel, there can never be peace.
September 22, 2025
@Chris. The Internet tells me Hamas got 44.45% of the vote in the last election to be held in the Palestinian territory, in 2006.
If true, quite a sizeable chunk of the population never voted for Hamas, or have never voted for anyone in their adult life.
September 23, 2025
Correct. Ukraine wanted to be neutral. Merkel told it could not be neutral and must choose between Russia and the EU. Putin could not match the huge financial offer of the EU. that and the EU’s false promise of freedom and democrtacy swayed the Ukrainian’s in favour of the EU plus the EU and US democrat support of the Maidan riots etc etc and selection of prosshenko because he would immediately sign an accession agreement with the EU. the EU is an imperial expansionist anti-democratic nascent stete.
September 22, 2025
The Middle East conflict currently involving Hamas versus Israel, is simply the latest iteration of the Islamic objective to remove any and all non Muslims from territories they control. The whole region is a continuum of removal of non believers. Hezbollah in Lebanon is another example of what happens to a secular nation surrounded by Muslim ambitions. Beirut, a truly mixed vibrant community a true cosmopolitan example of stable vibrant society, once dubbed Paris on the Eastern shores of the Mediterranean, but not any more. It is now impoverished destroyed and monocultural. That is the fate that awaits Israel if they allow Islam to destroy them as has happened in Lebanon and has happened in Syria as has happened in Egypt and will happen in Jordan if Israel fails and falls.
Those who march every weekend in our now Muslim focused capital with its Muslim Mayor, waving the Palestine frag, are simply anarchists desperate to destroy the only stable economic authority in the territory, i.e. Israel because it is not Muslim.
The region’s chief power Iran has declared Israel must be wiped from the face of the Earth. Hamas funded by Iran is the extreme agent of Iran’s ambitions and has declared nothing is finished until Israel is wiped out.
With that background and with chants of ‘from the river to the sea’ code for destroy Israel, echoing through Westminster every weekend. Our PM decides to throw petrol on the conflagration already burning out of control in the Middle East by recognising a state that simply does not exist? Well does not exist, outside the minds of the jihadist’s and their enablers.
What will be his next bold diplomatic move? Will he declare he will send British forces to fight on the fields of Ukraine?
We must regard nothing, no decision is now off limit, no decision is too crass for this insane PM and his Marxist government. Higher taxes will be the least of our problems…..
September 22, 2025
It isn’t just his policy which is ridiculous, he is making himself and this country look ridiculous.
As we are reminded every weekend by the pro-Palestine marches through London, the Palestinian people and their supporters do not want a two-state solution. They couldn’t make it clearer: “From the River to the Sea” means the eradication of Israel.
How he could possibly bring himself to effectively legitimise Hamas is beyond me. Obviously his belief in Human Rights doesn’t extend to the right of Israeli citizens to live without constant fear of terrorist attacks, rape the murder of women and children and hostage-taking.
It’s obvious that this is all about shoring up what is left of the Labour Party’s voter-base in the Muslim block-vote constituencies.
September 22, 2025
I agree Britain’s Middle East policy is ludicrous, even more so when you compare it to the policy over Cyprus. Britain and all the others are refusing to recognise Northern Cyprus, a state that has actually existed for over 50 years. Why? Because Britain while insisting on a now impossible two state solution in the Middle East are refusing to accept a two state solution that works reasonably well in Cyprus!
September 22, 2025
Having had many holidays in Northern Cyprus with friends who have a villa there, it is a perfectly viable small state with a government and secure boundaries. Yet the UN and EU will not recognise peaceful Northern Cyprus but will recognise wartorn Gaza !
Gesture politics are the hallmark of Starmer’s government, and expensive ones at that : just look at the unnecessary and hugely expensive Chagos deal, and the EU fishing deal.
When a right of centre government takes, over I wonder how much damage Labour will have done ?
Every time that Starmer makes a foolish move, Badenoch and Farage need to stand up in Parliament and declare that they willl cancel it on immediately upon taking over.
Starmer and Co seem to be prepared to give everything away with no quid pro quo :
Why did they not insist that Macron took the boats back in return for the fishing concession which he desperately needed ?
Why did they not agree to recognise Gaza but only once Hamas had agreed to hand in their weapons ? After all, that is what Blair insisted upon with the IRA?
Starmer’s government looks weak in all circumstances it puts itself in.
September 22, 2025
@Geffrey Berg. Very good point!
September 22, 2025
Did the ‘two state solution’ work well in Ireland?
September 22, 2025
Hamas is one of Iran’s middle east proxies, armed and financially supported by the Ayatollahs. Hamas is dedicated to the destruction of Israel – which aligns with the same Iranian foreign policy.
The two state solution is the only option. The unfortunate Palestinians are prevented from emigrating to other Arab countries; nobody gives them visas because they do not wish to end up hosting Iranian terrorist organisations like Hamas. Our other allies Canada, Australia and Portugal have also recognised the state of Palestine. Eire did last month
Like the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine, POTUS Trump has failed to bring peace to Palestine. In any case, he has already announced that he wishes to “re-develop” Gaza into a series of Trump golf resorts
Nothing is what it seems in the middle east. Trump has also just given Israel another $6billion in arms so Netanyahu can continue bombing Gaza hospitals. As does Russia – but they are using Chinese and N Korean munitions to bomb Ukrainian maternity hospitals and kindergartens. And now Cuban mercenaries have been seen on the front lines near Zaporizhzhia.
September 22, 2025
Gosh, do you mean Putin is not isolated? 😱
September 22, 2025
SG,
With Trump there are donors, who are maybe not so important now he is President once again.
There are business opportunities in a Trump-built Gaza sea resort.
There is also possible Kompromat and there is the recent assassination of Mr. Kirk to remind him of the attempt on his own life.
September 22, 2025
“The two state solution is the only option” Why SG? The other ‘option’ already exists. These territories are mostly already subsumed by Isreal. This may not be fair but it is a far more realistic outcome. “Fairness” is not usually the deciding factor in these things.
“The ‘unfortunate’ (self inflicted?) Palestinians are prevented from emigrating to other Arab countries; nobody gives them visas because they do not wish to end up hosting Iranian terrorist organisations like Hamas” There are very good historical reasons (in Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon & Egypt) why the other Arab nations don’t want the Palestinians, they have proven to be poor guests and dreadful neighbours. The simple solution to Gaza would be to evacuate the “civilian” population elsewhere and allow the Israelis to sanitise the underground Hamas fortress that is Gaza city. That won’t happen as the other (Sunni) Arab states have bitter memories of the unrest that the (Shia) Palestinians caused them.
I’m also very much against the West Bank land grab being undertaken by Isaeli settlers btw. The existing arab land owners have rights that the Israeli State should be protecting – after all 21% of Israeli Citizens are Arabs.
September 22, 2025
@SG. I disagree with you so much, so often, but on Palestine we agree on a 2 state solution. @Donna posted above that Palestinian supporters want Israel destroyed, but that opinion amongst those sympathetic to the Palestinians’ plight is by no means universal.
September 22, 2025
So what does ‘from the river to the sea’ mean?
September 23, 2025
I’m sure not all Germans/Nazi sympathisers in pre-WW2 Germany wanted to claim the regions/countries which were ethnically German (as well as a great many which weren’t).
But the country’s Leadership did.
We have a very clear example of what appeasement leads to.
September 22, 2025
of course the current government’s position on these foreign policy issues is stupid, but at least we have open opposition and debate from other politicians and press.
whereas our foreign policy position re india and China is equally stupid in other ways, but the big issues are never debated or mentioned in the main stream press. indeed the big parties agree on stuff which is blatantly anti British, and the shadow foreign secretary and others regularly expose how poor their understanding is.
we need to up our game.
September 22, 2025
This is just a political ploy to grab whatever limelight is left to him and endeavour to keep the Labour back benchers on side. It also plays to the Muslim voters and their ever likely disruptive civil actions.
September 22, 2025
Have to disagree Israel will not be satisfied till Gazza is part of Israel. Then they will turn there attention on West Bank were they are turning a blind eye to what illegal settlement are all ready doing. Trump appears to be bowing to the Jewish lobby in USA.
September 22, 2025
Israel gave Gaza to the Arabs so that they could live amongst their own. They have a right to take it back as those who live there use it as a base to launch attacks on Israel.
September 22, 2025
But fantasy (and political expediency) is Starmer’s stock in trade…
September 22, 2025
Palestine, without approval from the British People a dictator at work. Apparently polling suggests 95% of the UK Citizens are against it.
Then we have 2TK’s favourite Cabal, the ambulance chasing international law…
The media reports “International law experts have estimated the cost, based on the value of the land which was under British control from 1917 to 1948, as roughly £2 trillion, about the size of Britain’s total economy”
What ‘Blackhole’? or how to make it bigger. More taxes on more taxes in the great Labour giveaway
September 22, 2025
“Russia taking over Crimea [in 2014] was part of Russia’s aggressive policy of expansion in Eastern Europe.” What were the other parts, Sir John?
Reply Georgia, Moldova, Belorus etc
September 22, 2025
Reply to reply: In 2014 there had been no Russian expansion other than the takeover of Crimea. The aggression came from Georgia, which attacked Russians in its Russian-speaking areas in 2008, and Moldova, which did the same in Transnistria in 1991. Belarus and Russia have been on good terms since 1991 – no aggressive expansion there.
I commend the way Russians have looked after ethnic Russians, unlike one or two of our judges who have ruled that foreign migrants’ rights outweigh those of British people.
September 22, 2025
+1. You could add that Britain refuses to allow its genetic nationals to be repatriated. When they invented ‘British citizenship’ they removed the right to return home for millions of genetic British people, including myself, without even telling us. I managed to come home from Zululand where I was born because the Irish did NOT turn their backs on me. But Elon Musk had to go to Canada or his brilliant brain and the hundreds of billions it has produced would have been based in the U.K.
Many of my 100% genetically British family, with children they can’t leave and can’t bring, are stuck in Africa.
Really it’s a disgrace.
September 22, 2025
Didn’t he also recognise BLM and look how that turned out? This man has very suspect judgment. How can one man singularly recognise a state? Why isn’t there a vote in parliament, so we, the people, who don’t support this decision, can see where their elected MPs stand?
September 22, 2025
We had ‘fantasy football’ but at least that was funny and no one got embroiled in death and destruction.
Fantasy politics, as Sir John rightly points out, is Starmer’s ‘go to’ policy it seems.
However, he is a socialist and they are often given to living in a fantasy world where everyone goes along with the soft and cuddly idea that everyone else is soft and cuddly.
Human nature, greed, aggression, in-group preference and desire to be the top dog can all be soothed with some sort of workshop on feelings etc.
Hammas carried out an attack, raped, murdered and took hostages.
Israel responded in the way it saw best and we should not be involved or opening our doors.
September 22, 2025
Before the alleged Russian aggression there was another incident that would surely have riled the Russians causing them to conclude most urgently that they need a very strong border between them and the the creeping EU, and that was the interfering by various EU officials in trying to bring about a Russian spring.
None on the Western side come out of this smelling of roses, certainly not the Biden administration that had their own reasons to keep on raping Ukraine. Over the whole affair the MSM has been full of lies and deceit, just as they are concerning their support of Hamas.
It should be clear that Hamas controls Palestine, and while most grudgingly admit that Hamas are terrorists, they think it is humanitarian to keep this insane situation going on forever, rather than exterminating a major threat to world peace.
As for our warmongering PM, he has no rationality – proved countless times, and no real perception of the situation, he should keep his nose and our monies out it.
September 22, 2025
The primary reason for war in the case of Putin and Netanyahu is autocracy / dictatorship. War enables you to grab more power / hang on to power. Putin began his time at the top by manufacturing a terrorist-like incident that he was behind but made it look as if he was the strong leader in quashing it. Netanyahu is up to his neck in corruption. War gives him a way out of being held accountable. Hamas obviously evil but you can’t punish a whole people. Ukranaians far from perfect but nothing compared to the narcissism, machiavellianim and sociopathy of Putin who the outgoing head of MI6 rightly suggested is a dangerous threat to our country. Around all this we have to think, plan and work.
September 22, 2025
Try thinking just for starters. And read something other than overt prropaganda.
September 22, 2025
A succinct summary …..politics doesn’t have to be complicated, unlike the ‘woke’ establishment you have to realise that there are good & bad people/nations in the world, appeasement prolongs war
September 22, 2025
What’s the Far Left’s real reason for recognising a Palestine State? Will this enable them to import more people from the ME? Has this already happened under the cover of a super injunction granted by a Far Left judge? Why is the Far Left attracted to Sharia Law? How do the Far Left, who say they advocate universal human rights, square their attraction to Sharia Law with equality for women? Why does the far Left advocate open borders and multiculturalism for the West when the terrible effects of this policy are seen in the ME, Beirut, Cyprus, Yugoslavia and Ireland and elsewhere? Why does the Far Left say ‘diversity is strength’ in addition to ‘freedom is slavery’ and ‘war is peace’?
September 22, 2025
Just when I think the PM can’t do anything more stupid, he does it! Does Starmer know no history? Twenty years ago, the Israelis pulled out of Gaza and handed it over to the Arabs who lived there. They could have had their separate state, but what did they do? Allowed a ruthless terrorist organisation, Hamas, to take over, dedicated to destroying Israel and most of the population, agreed with that aim. Then Hamas have refused every peace deal offered, going back into the 1990s, pulled out of all peace negotiations in the last 2 years by raising some objections, has held on to the hostages and refused to lay down their arms.
What choice does Israel have but to fight for its survival? So now we know Starmer is a weak appeaser of Terrorism.
September 22, 2025
We know that from the state of Britain. The r*ape and torture Gangs are still defended and supported by the far left.
September 22, 2025
K from L, succinct and true.
September 22, 2025
Would you support this as a solution to the Ukraine War?
Create a United States of American and Eurasia. The USAE.
That is the European Union, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, Russia, and Canada join the USA, with all countries of the EU as individual states of the USAE.
September 23, 2025
There is much more to the Ukraine business than Sir John says here. Much more. The EU’s normal mode of expansion is to offer shed lpoads of money and a false promise of freedom and democracy. Eastern Euroean states know little of the EU until it is too late. Then they become troublesome members like Poland and Hungary. In Ukraine’s case there was also blackmail. In Zelensky’s darkest hour, 3 days after Russia invaded Germany and the EU told Zelensky he could have the weapons refused until then – Germany having offered no more than blankets and helmets – in exchange for the EU gaining sovereignty over Ukraine. What Germany and the EU wanted in particular was control of Ukraine’s vast deposists of critical minerals for Energiewende and EU Green Energy. Its lithium and rare earths alone were valued at up to US$13 trillion. These were to be exploited by mainly German industry with huge profits financed by foreign aid given by countries such as UK. That was to be a great prize compared with the then minerals supply agreement by which the EU had to payfor these resources at market rates.
The EU has been a consistent bad actor in this conflict since 2013: first telling Ukraine it could not be neutral as it wanted, funding the Maidan riots to overthrow the government, colluding with the US Democrats to oust the elected president and install a new president, Poroshenko, who would immediately sign an accession agreement with the EU and most recently this blackmail of Zelensky in his darkest hour 3 days after Russia invaded.