Ursula von der Leyen’s geopolitical Commission seems to be losing even the smallest amounts of geopolitical clout it had before the turmoil of the 2020s. The current perception dominating Brussels is that Europe is executing a noble mission of defending “European principles” against authoritarian powers, namely the US, Russia and China, but the reality is much simpler. The EU is becoming increasingly more isolated on the global arena, which is evidenced even by the recent crisis in the transatlantic relationship.
EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas was denied a meeting with US Foreign Secretary Marco Rubio during her stay in Washington following US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia. Donald Trump has consistently refused to meet with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and preferred to speak to Europe’s leaders directly holding several meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni. This isolation is a symptom of a growing disease plaguing Europe — a lack of strategic thinking and leadership.
Europe’s elites have become disconnected from reality, basing their actions on a perceived superiority of “European principles”, but failing to meet these genuinely high standards that they have set for themselves. Human rights have been supplanted by rights of a few minorities. Freedom of speech has been diminished to freedom of correct speech and censorship for those voices who call for a change in the way European societies function. Democracy — Europe’s biggest and most prized principle — is experiencing its biggest crisis in decades.
Europe’s decline as a respected actor in world affairs is exacerbated by the stifling influence of its Brussels bureaucracy. This unelected body, increasingly detached from the concerns of ordinary citizens, wields immense power in shaping policy, often prioritizing complex regulations and bureaucratic procedures over practical solutions and national sovereignty. This centralized, top-down approach stifles innovation, hinders economic growth, and breeds resentment among member states who feel their voices are ignored in favor of a homogenous, Brussels-driven agenda. Many commentators have been particularly outspoken when it comes to exposing Ursula von der Leyen’s authoritarian methods of running business in the EU. The perceived lack of accountability and transparency within the Commission further fuels public distrust, contributing to a growing sense of alienation and undermining the legitimacy of the entire European project.
Europe’s lack of a vision for the future has been evident for a long time. Already in the 2000s, it was obvious that the interests of the entire world are shifting towards Asia and it was natural that at some point America was going to ask Europeans to pay for their own security, while focusing itself on the Indo-Pacific. During his first presidency, Donald Trump demanded Europe to pay their fair share in the collective security, but they did not listen, diminishing Trump to a temporary aberration in US foreign policy. But these days, they are in complete chaos without a real understanding of where to go next.
They have created a non-existent “Russian threat” in their discursive field and base their entire functioning on supporting the Ukrainian regime in its fight against Russia. This brings immense pressure on the European economy and gives Europeans nothing in return. Except for the biggest energy, environmental, political, and economic crisis in years of course. This was evidenced by the report made by former Italian Prime Minister and European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi on European competitiveness. Europe is largely falling behind the US, China and Russia in technological development, economic and energy stability, which makes its crisis inevitable.
The results of the London meeting are a clear indication of the fact that Europe has lost its ability to act independently. There is no consensus in sight: France and the United Kingdom want to deploy their troops to Ukraine, but have no opportunity to execute these plans. Italy and Spain have already voiced their unwillingness to go with these plans, while Hungary (and more moderate Slovakia) outright rejects plans of the European bureaucracy to wage a hybrid war against Russia. In this context, they want to create a “coalition of the willing” and the last time one of those was created in sky is and Syria, it led to complete devastation for the countries in question.
All in all, Europe faces a severe existential crisis, sewing chaos and undermining efforts for a peaceful end to the Ukraine conflict. Europe’s loss of strategic thinking, its decline as an economic power and its betrayal of traditional values are all interconnected processes, which have led to it becoming the most destabilizing actor in modern world affairs.
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