A joint meeting of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Federation Council Committee on Defence and Security was convened.
Senators and experts examined the current situation within the European Union through the lens of its militarisation and the implications this carries for the global balance of power.
The session, which featured the participation of Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council Konstantin Kosachev and Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Alexander Grushko, was chaired by Grigory Karasin, Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Konstantin Kosachev observed that in recent years the European Union has been steadily transforming into a military-political bloc hostile towards Russia and actively engaged in a hybrid war against it. He recalled that in its strategic documents, the EU explicitly identifies the Russian Federation as the central threat to European security. In June 2025, the European Commission introduced the so-called Defence Readiness Package – a legislative framework aimed at simplifying and expediting weapons manufacturing across Europe.
“Clearly, all of this bears no resemblance whatsoever to the notion of “defence.” Europe is preparing for war against Russia; all of these programmes are tailored to bolster the EU’s offensive and strike capabilities,” asserted Konstantin Kosachev.
He went on to state that the militarisation of the EU constitutes a fundamental shift in the security architecture of the region – one that demands thorough consideration and an appropriate response from Russia’s foreign policy and strategic planning apparatus.
In light of these developments, the senator proposed three concurrent courses of action for the Russian Federation: to reassess its official position regarding Ukraine’s potential accession to the European Union; to pursue engagement with individual EU member states, particularly those governments and parliaments demonstrating a constructive disposition; and to intensify efforts toward the progressive development of international law, specifically concerning the legal definition of the term “bloc.” “There is currently no definition of “blocs” in international law, nor are there qualifying attributes to delineate such entities – this is a legal gap resulting from the evolution of international relations. As is well established, the subjects of international law are states and international organisations. In my assessment, the European Union, by its present characteristics, no longer satisfies the criteria of an international organisation,” explained Konstantin Kosachev.
Grigory Karasin underscored that the collective West is pursuing a consistent strategy of expanding military expenditure, with the European Union undertaking large-scale military build-up initiatives. “This militarisation of the West and Europe is being justified by references to an illusory Russian threat.”
Grigory Karasin further drew attention to the fact that, under its newly appointed Chancellor, Germany has markedly intensified its efforts to re-establish itself as Europe’s principal military power.
First Deputy Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Defence and Security Vladimir Chizhov delivered a report addressing the problems of militarisation within the EU and its concurrent pursuit of military-political autonomy from the United States.
The discussion was joined by senators Andrey Denisov, Bair Zhamsuyev, Alexander Karelin, and Natalia Nikonorova, alongside representatives from relevant ministries, agencies, and the expert community.
Participants exchanged views on the militarisation trends across European Union member states – including Germany – the attempts to draw Europe into confrontation with the Russian Federation, and the attendant risks and challenges such developments pose for Russia. It was resolved that such meetings would be convened on a regular basis to ensure continued monitoring of foreign policy dynamics.