Europe is surrounded by forces that want to weaken it. The pressure at its gates is increasing, and those who should defend the continent are preoccupied with their political interests.
The EU is besieged by the descendants of the Goths, Mongols, and Vandals today, while euro deputies haggle for the best positions in the European Commission, as if it still mattered in a world dominated by predators where Europe is like a goat surrounded by wolves, vividly describes the situation Simon Tisdall, a foreign policy commentator, in an opinion article published in The Guardian.
The hordes of Vladimir Putin are advancing, devouring Ukrainian territory and laying the groundwork for further illegal annexations.
From the east comes the Chinese danger. The country led by Xi Jinping achieves an annual trade surplus of 292 billion euros, practicing the „divide and conquer” tactic while conducting aggressive espionage and hacking operations.
In the west, after an election, the leader of the Vandals is eager for battle, the author writes about Trump.
Mario Draghi, the former President of the European Central Bank, warns that the very reason for the existence of the EU is now threatened. Yet, almost unnoticed, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, spent her week engaging in political horse-trading with the leader of the European People’s Party, Manfred Weber, and other politicians.
„We do politics, sometimes it takes some time,” justified Weber to Politico. An anonymous EU official was less understanding, saying under anonymity: „We have to live in the real world and move forward. The American people gave Trump a blank check while we dithered.”
The European Parliament was elected in June, Von der Leyen received the new mandate in July, but the new EU leadership may only get down to work in December or even later. And the problems are piling up.
### Europe is losing momentum, Macron doesn’t want us to become herbivores
The chronic uselessness of the bureaucracy in Brussels is the least of Europe’s problems. In an authorized report from September, Draghi called for an annual investment of 800 billion euros in areas such as artificial intelligence, green technology, and defense to boost growth, competitiveness, and declining security in the EU compared to the US and China. Like Russia, the two powers are rapidly expanding their military spending.
– [Europe must save Ukraine. But France and Germany are adrift, and London flirts with Trump](https://spotmedia.ro/stiri/opinii-si-analize/europa-trebuie-sa-salveze-ucraina-dar-franta-si-germania-sunt-in-deriva-iar-londra-cocheteaza-cu-trump)
However, political will is weakening. Just as Trump was triumphing across the ocean, the German government – which, together with France, is traditionally seen as a driving force within the EU – has collapsed. Olaf Scholz’s weak governance has come to an end. Elections will not take place until the end of February, and until then, Europe’s real „internal enemy” – extreme right and left-wing parties nurturing antidemocratic, Trumpist tendencies – will continue to advance in Germany and elsewhere.
Meanwhile, in France, President Emmanuel Macron’s presidency, teetering on the edge in the summer elections and facing similar challenges from the far right, is on the decline. His approval rating is 23%, but at least Macron is aware of the danger. He warned in Budapest that Europe will be devoured if it fails to increase its economic and security independence, and if „we decide to remain herbivores, then the carnivores will win.”
„We want to read history written by others, wars launched by Putin, American elections, choices made by the Chinese in technology or trade, or do we want to write history? I believe we have the power to write it,” he emphasized on X. But is anyone listening these days? – writes Tisdall.
### Someone must lead the defense or the hordes will bring down the walls
Trump’s return with his destructive and regressive approaches regarding protectionist tariffs, Ukraine, Israel-Palestine, Iran, the future of NATO, and the climate crisis directly contradict the interests of the EU. A very pressing fear is that a global trade war could push the eurozone into recession and force Europe to choose between the US and China, its largest trading partners.
– [Trump wants to impose tariffs of 10% or 20% on all imports](https://spotmedia.ro/stiri/economie/trump-vrea-sa-puna-taxe-vamale-pe-importuri-tarile-care-vor-pierde-cel-mai-mult-intr-un-razboi-comercial-cu-sua?_thumbnail_id=1092081)
The end of the war in Ukraine is another huge crisis rapidly affecting Europe. It is very possible that Trump will withdraw US military aid, conspire with Putin, and try to impose a peace deal on Kiev by ceding territory. In such a scenario, the EU would actually face a united front of the US, Russia, and China, Putin’s close ally.
In these circumstances, what is to be done?
In these perilous times, Europe could look to the East for strong leadership and concrete actions, where Poland’s Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, is at least doing something concrete to deter the beasts haunting the borders of Europe. He is forming a pro-Ukraine alliance within NATO, including France, the UK, and the Baltic states, regardless of what Trump will do.
„This new political landscape is a serious challenge for everyone… We will intensively coordinate cooperation with countries that have a very similar view of the geopolitical and transatlantic situation and the situation in Ukraine,” said Tusk.
As in ancient times, when the defense of Rome was crumbling, someone must take a stand and, hopefully, defeat the barbarians at the gates of the city, concludes the author.
T.D.