On the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Leo Birnbaum, CEO of energy company E.ON, wrote a LinkedIn post in which he paid tribute to the Ukrainian people and called on Europe to show greater unity and self-confidence. He argued that if Ukrainians can defend themselves with a population of 40 million, Europe should not be afraid with its 400 million inhabitants. In this spirit, he argued, Europe should prepare itself so that any further war would impose costs on the aggressor that are too high to bear. Furthermore, Birnbaum emphasized that Ukraine’s ingenuity and determination should serve as an inspiration beyond the military sphere. 

In an additional post on the current tensions in the Middle East, he comments that the rules-based international order as we know it is likely to have come to an end.