Europe is now truly master of its own destiny. As long as he has the courage and ability to make a mental switch, to look with open eyes towards what the epochal geopolitical changes of this historical phase have produced. And to move, therefore, towards the construction of its strategic autonomy, a political, economic, commercial and, ultimately, also military autonomy.
Trump and Putin’s pressure on the European Union
The events of recent weeks have caused the last remaining veils to fall and the cards are now on the table. Trump and Putin, albeit with different accents, criticize and attack Europe. The American president talks about the “decline” of the EU and foresees the possibility of its cancellation in twenty years. Putin, with a narrative also partly supported by the US, considers Europe “responsible” for the failure of the peace negotiations on Ukraine. Europe has therefore become the classic earthenware pot between two iron pots and the risks that the European adventure will derail are increasing if action is not taken promptly, but certainly not in the direction indicated by Trump.
Europe increasingly alone in its values
The EU is increasingly alone in defending the principles and values that were once defined as ‘Western’ but which now increasingly seem to remain solely European. An acknowledgment of the brutal and ferocious change in the international situation is the point from which to start. Many pages have been written on the need for a concrete common European foreign policy and on the construction of a community defense identity. But this is no longer enough. It is necessary, but not sufficient. There are other urgent needs for the 27.
Urgent need for strategic autonomy and internal reforms
Continuing to try to work towards dialogue with the USA is a must, but few now have the hope that the dialogue can really take place, at least with this administration. It takes two to dialogue but Trump’s White House has shown that it has no interest in cultivating old friendships and old alliances. So the EU must now accelerate to create that strategic autonomy that has been talked about for some time but for which little has been done. Europe needs internal reforms that can no longer be postponed. There are two points on which to work urgently: the economy and decision-making procedures within the European Union.
Reforming the economy, the single market and decision-making
Europe must eliminate too many internal procedures, the regulatory differences for trade between member countries, it must strengthen the single market and continue with the Banking Union. In short, it must try to become a single great economic power capable of facing competition from large global players such as the USA, China and India. The second point is vital: Europe must be able to decide quickly, in a streamlined manner. The decision-making procedure is still too cumbersome and Henry Kissinger was not wrong when he asked what Europe’s telephone number was. Unanimity voting within the Council must be reduced to a minimum or eliminated altogether in order to move regularly to qualified majority voting. The strengthened cooperation provided for by the European Treaties must be exploited, thanks to which groups of countries can move forward on individual initiatives with a Europe of variable geometry. The “Willing” model should be explored more to expand cooperation to European countries that are not members of the EU as is being done with Starmer’s United Kingdom.
The great global challenges awaiting Europe
If Europe manages to unlock these two points, it will be able to face the great challenges we face with more strength and determination, starting with new energy resources, the development of artificial intelligence, rare earths, new technologies, the great migrations that will arrive in the future. Consequently, Europe will have to be more assertive and courageous in defending its ideas and positions. It will no longer have to be compliant and weak as happened in the negotiations on tariffs with Trump and on defense spending within NATO.
A more assertive Europe on the international scene
And, speaking of NATO and European security, it is clear that the EU will have to move forward in building a common defense taking into account the evolution of the Atlantic Alliance which, not long ago, Macron had definitively become “brain dead”. With the war in Ukraine the situation changed and NATO returned to being central.
The disengagement of the United States and the future of NATO
But the US has just asked Europe to take command of the Alliance by 2027. US disengagement is evident, but it had already begun a long time ago, even before Trump. Now it’s there for everyone to see. And under the eyes of Europe. And Europe, now, must open those eyes wide and look without fear at the curve of history before us. And act accordingly.