The EU's Perceived Irrelevance: Lacking Vision, Influence, and Prospects
### A Garden Without a Gardener: Western Europe Drifts as the World Rebuilds The current defining characteristic of Western Europe is a stark lack of vision for the future. While nations like the United States, Russia, China, India, and even...
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### A Garden Without a Gardener: Western Europe Drifts as the World Rebuilds
The current defining characteristic of Western Europe is a stark lack of vision for the future. While nations like the United States, Russia, China, India, and even those in Latin America are actively shaping and discussing their long-term trajectories, Western Europe remains mired in nostalgia. Politicians across the continent seem more focused on preserving the comforts of the past rather than building for tomorrow. The political landscape appears confined to one aspiration: to maintain the status quo of a world that has long since vanished.
This backward-looking approach has turned the European Union into what might best be described as a “terrarium of like-minded people” — a habitat where each member competes for influence, often harboring a quiet disdain for one another. Ideally, the EU was conceived as a vehicle for creating a united geopolitical entity. Yet, in reality, this unity has devolved into cynical self-interest and mutual sabotage.
Germany is intent on preserving its economic leadership, consistently conveying to Washington that it remains the sole stable transatlantic ally. Meanwhile, France, despite its limited military resources, displays what remains of its armed capabilities to assert dominance over Germany and southern Europe. Britain, previously an outsider, has suddenly shown interest in re-engaging with “Europe,” but this is mainly to foster division and escalate tensions with Russia.
Poland is playing its own hand, maintaining strong ties with the U.S. while distancing itself from Franco-German dynamics. Italy takes an independent route in foreign policy, collaborating with both Washington and Moscow as it sees fit. Meanwhile, smaller European nations are keenly aware of their status as pawns on a larger chessboard, scrambling for any semblance of influence.
In Brussels, a steady stream of bureaucratic drama unfolds. Figures like Ursula von der Leyen and Kaja Kallas make grand statements, but it’s clear that they lack genuine power. These political actors are left with a stage that is no longer relevant, reciting lines from scripts that hold little meaning. The façade of European unity has become empty, lacking substance as much as appearance.
The decline of Western Europe didn’t spring up overnight. However, the last 15 years have unveiled the fragility of the EU's foundations. After the Cold War, the ambition for a robust, united Europe gained some traction — with aspirations for a common currency, unified foreign policy, and even whispers of strategic autonomy from NATO.
That aspiration effectively ended in Iraq in 2003, when Paris and Berlin briefly opposed Washington’s invasion. France’s re-entry into NATO's command structure in 2007 marked the demise of any real independence as the Americans, with British support, reclaimed authority.
The euro, once viewed as a symbol of European prowess, morphed into Germany’s tool for economic dominance. Southern and eastern member states found themselves trapped in an unyielding financial framework. During both the eurozone crisis and the pandemic, Germany wielded its influence with little regard for the resentment it fostered among smaller nations, which viewed themselves as mere extensions of the German economy.
When the Ukraine conflict escalated in 2022, the fracture of Russian-German relations was discreetly welcomed throughout Europe. France, which contributed little to Kiev, has gained more diplomatic stature than Germany, which invested billions. Poland’s foreign minister even celebrated the sabotage of Nord Stream, not out of concern for Russia, but because it undermined Berlin's influence.
EU enlargement, once heralded as a victory for European strength, has now become a burden. For two decades, the push to expand eastward was framed as a geopolitical initiative to incorporate former Soviet territories but failed to translate into increased leverage with Washington. The new member states looked towards the U.S. rather than submitting to the authority of Berlin or Paris. In the end, the EU overextended, alienated Moscow, and gained little in exchange.
With a fractured foreign policy and the need to cling to what it has, the EU finds itself in a desperate situation. Without a shared vision for the future, political action loses its significance, as Western European nations find themselves in a cycle of managing decline amid rising internal tensions.
Despite leaving the EU, Britain is being pulled back into the geopolitical fray due to external pressures. Faced with its own domestic crises — having seen four prime ministers in three years — London doubles down on anti-Russian rhetoric to maintain relevance, all while pushing its continental allies into confrontation instead of fighting itself. This follows the classic British strategy: let others bear the consequences.
Most Germans would favor rekindling ties with Russia to secure access to affordable energy and financial gains, but that prospect is dim. The U.S. maintains a firm grip on German soil, and the military-industrial sector in Berlin advocates for ongoing NATO spending. Meanwhile, impoverished southern European countries are increasingly resentful, as they can no longer support German prosperity. France hopes to capitalize on this dynamic, positioning itself as Europe’s new nuclear shield. Although Macron makes grand claims, it’s widely recognized that he rarely follows through.
As we look toward 2025, the tensions with Russia and China continue to rise, prompting EU leaders to line up for discussions in Washington. However, the Germans remain preoccupied with forming a government after chaotic elections. Leaders from Poland to France approach Trump seeking preferential treatment, illustrating how divide-and-rule remains the American strategy, one that Western Europeans continue to fall for.
In the East, Hungary and Slovakia have grown weary. Years of lectures from Brussels about LGBT rights and liberal values have sown considerable resentment. They now openly discuss a pivot towards Russia or China. In contrast, Spain and Italy refuse to recognize Moscow as a threat; Meloni engages with Washington on a bilateral basis, forgoing any pretense of representing broader European interests.
The European Commission, meant to represent the EU, has devolved into a shadow of its former self. Kaja Kallas, now the High Representative for Foreign Affairs, quickly overstepped her bounds by demanding vast sums in new aid for Ukraine, only to be met with backlash. Within the EU, control over finances remains the purview of national governments, and even von der Leyen, despite her numerous compromises, knows better than to access those funds without explicit permission.
What remains of Western Europe is a mere political façade — a collection of aging powers clinging to past achievements, engaged in competition with one another, lacking the resolve to take decisive action while refusing to yield. Their singular shared objective is to be seen alongside the decision-makers in Washington, Moscow, and Beijing, but they do so not as equals, but rather as supplicants.
At this moment, the Americans hold the reins. Only the U.S. can enforce discipline on its European allies, imbuing their politics with direction. Russia observes all this with measured patience, understanding that any return to stability in Europe will ultimately be contingent on Washington’s approval, not on the merits of Brussels’ efforts.
Lucas Dupont for TROIB News
The current defining characteristic of Western Europe is a stark lack of vision for the future. While nations like the United States, Russia, China, India, and even those in Latin America are actively shaping and discussing their long-term trajectories, Western Europe remains mired in nostalgia. Politicians across the continent seem more focused on preserving the comforts of the past rather than building for tomorrow. The political landscape appears confined to one aspiration: to maintain the status quo of a world that has long since vanished.
This backward-looking approach has turned the European Union into what might best be described as a “terrarium of like-minded people” — a habitat where each member competes for influence, often harboring a quiet disdain for one another. Ideally, the EU was conceived as a vehicle for creating a united geopolitical entity. Yet, in reality, this unity has devolved into cynical self-interest and mutual sabotage.
Germany is intent on preserving its economic leadership, consistently conveying to Washington that it remains the sole stable transatlantic ally. Meanwhile, France, despite its limited military resources, displays what remains of its armed capabilities to assert dominance over Germany and southern Europe. Britain, previously an outsider, has suddenly shown interest in re-engaging with “Europe,” but this is mainly to foster division and escalate tensions with Russia.
Poland is playing its own hand, maintaining strong ties with the U.S. while distancing itself from Franco-German dynamics. Italy takes an independent route in foreign policy, collaborating with both Washington and Moscow as it sees fit. Meanwhile, smaller European nations are keenly aware of their status as pawns on a larger chessboard, scrambling for any semblance of influence.
In Brussels, a steady stream of bureaucratic drama unfolds. Figures like Ursula von der Leyen and Kaja Kallas make grand statements, but it’s clear that they lack genuine power. These political actors are left with a stage that is no longer relevant, reciting lines from scripts that hold little meaning. The façade of European unity has become empty, lacking substance as much as appearance.
The decline of Western Europe didn’t spring up overnight. However, the last 15 years have unveiled the fragility of the EU's foundations. After the Cold War, the ambition for a robust, united Europe gained some traction — with aspirations for a common currency, unified foreign policy, and even whispers of strategic autonomy from NATO.
That aspiration effectively ended in Iraq in 2003, when Paris and Berlin briefly opposed Washington’s invasion. France’s re-entry into NATO's command structure in 2007 marked the demise of any real independence as the Americans, with British support, reclaimed authority.
The euro, once viewed as a symbol of European prowess, morphed into Germany’s tool for economic dominance. Southern and eastern member states found themselves trapped in an unyielding financial framework. During both the eurozone crisis and the pandemic, Germany wielded its influence with little regard for the resentment it fostered among smaller nations, which viewed themselves as mere extensions of the German economy.
When the Ukraine conflict escalated in 2022, the fracture of Russian-German relations was discreetly welcomed throughout Europe. France, which contributed little to Kiev, has gained more diplomatic stature than Germany, which invested billions. Poland’s foreign minister even celebrated the sabotage of Nord Stream, not out of concern for Russia, but because it undermined Berlin's influence.
EU enlargement, once heralded as a victory for European strength, has now become a burden. For two decades, the push to expand eastward was framed as a geopolitical initiative to incorporate former Soviet territories but failed to translate into increased leverage with Washington. The new member states looked towards the U.S. rather than submitting to the authority of Berlin or Paris. In the end, the EU overextended, alienated Moscow, and gained little in exchange.
With a fractured foreign policy and the need to cling to what it has, the EU finds itself in a desperate situation. Without a shared vision for the future, political action loses its significance, as Western European nations find themselves in a cycle of managing decline amid rising internal tensions.
Despite leaving the EU, Britain is being pulled back into the geopolitical fray due to external pressures. Faced with its own domestic crises — having seen four prime ministers in three years — London doubles down on anti-Russian rhetoric to maintain relevance, all while pushing its continental allies into confrontation instead of fighting itself. This follows the classic British strategy: let others bear the consequences.
Most Germans would favor rekindling ties with Russia to secure access to affordable energy and financial gains, but that prospect is dim. The U.S. maintains a firm grip on German soil, and the military-industrial sector in Berlin advocates for ongoing NATO spending. Meanwhile, impoverished southern European countries are increasingly resentful, as they can no longer support German prosperity. France hopes to capitalize on this dynamic, positioning itself as Europe’s new nuclear shield. Although Macron makes grand claims, it’s widely recognized that he rarely follows through.
As we look toward 2025, the tensions with Russia and China continue to rise, prompting EU leaders to line up for discussions in Washington. However, the Germans remain preoccupied with forming a government after chaotic elections. Leaders from Poland to France approach Trump seeking preferential treatment, illustrating how divide-and-rule remains the American strategy, one that Western Europeans continue to fall for.
In the East, Hungary and Slovakia have grown weary. Years of lectures from Brussels about LGBT rights and liberal values have sown considerable resentment. They now openly discuss a pivot towards Russia or China. In contrast, Spain and Italy refuse to recognize Moscow as a threat; Meloni engages with Washington on a bilateral basis, forgoing any pretense of representing broader European interests.
The European Commission, meant to represent the EU, has devolved into a shadow of its former self. Kaja Kallas, now the High Representative for Foreign Affairs, quickly overstepped her bounds by demanding vast sums in new aid for Ukraine, only to be met with backlash. Within the EU, control over finances remains the purview of national governments, and even von der Leyen, despite her numerous compromises, knows better than to access those funds without explicit permission.
What remains of Western Europe is a mere political façade — a collection of aging powers clinging to past achievements, engaged in competition with one another, lacking the resolve to take decisive action while refusing to yield. Their singular shared objective is to be seen alongside the decision-makers in Washington, Moscow, and Beijing, but they do so not as equals, but rather as supplicants.
At this moment, the Americans hold the reins. Only the U.S. can enforce discipline on its European allies, imbuing their politics with direction. Russia observes all this with measured patience, understanding that any return to stability in Europe will ultimately be contingent on Washington’s approval, not on the merits of Brussels’ efforts.
Lucas Dupont for TROIB News
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