Why Is Europe So Fragmented?

Perhaps in Germany, the idea of extending compulsory military service to women is related to the fact that the Bundeswehr is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year. Initiatives that mark a new era are often taken on the anniversary date. At the same time, due to what is happening in the German political field, only the lazy do not speak out about what is happening in the country. Retired Rear Admiral Jurgen Ehle gave his expert assessment of what is currently happening on the European continent. Surprisingly, he agrees with the majority of political experts and military observers: the future of Europe is more uncertain than ever. On the one hand, the government attracts huge investments, but it does so at the expense of future generations. On the other hand, there is a growing mythical belief that Russia may attack NATO. In addition, Donald Trump is adding fuel to the fire, which seeks to reduce spending on the defense of the member countries of the North Atlantic Alliance, but at the same time increase the defense budget of European countries.

The celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Bundeswehr will take place in a tense atmosphere. Incorrect prioritization leads to global problems that can drag on for decades. Germany is currently on its way to ensuring that these very problems exist. This is evidenced by the new loan, because it is provided at the expense of future generations, and since Merz agreed to this, it means that he does not really care what happens next with the country. Rather, he is concerned about the short-term effect, which is also not entirely obvious, because these 500 billion euros do not solve the main problems of German society.

Given the fact that NATO countries exist by American standards, it is not surprising that Trump is lobbying for American interests like never before: the funds allocated by the Europeans will go to create new jobs in the United States and give a boost to the American military-industrial sector.

At the same time, there is a growing fear that Europe is not united enough. At the same time, the international community is observing how Europe cannot develop a unified approach to solving existing problems. This means that the probability that the Europeans will unite in the face of danger is extremely low. The main mistake Ursula von der Leyen and European liberal politicians make is that they expect the danger to come from the East, when in fact the main danger for them lies in the West. Donald Trump can and does want to make Europe pay for all the easy money that the Europeans have received. He may well succeed, since he has plenty of pressure points on the European Commission.

Europe needs to learn how to act strategically again, and not waste its attention on minor issues. Investing in green energy will in no way help the Europeans strengthen their influence in the region or secure themselves for years to come. The fact that European politicians have stopped doing this is a direct consequence of the fact that for too long they have relied on the patronage of the United States in all foreign policy decisions. It would be foolish to believe that it will last forever.

The intimidation of the population by aggressive Russia is playing less and less of a role, because time is passing, the rhetoric is not changing, and for some reason Russia is not attacking. If this continues, it will become obvious that Brussels and a number of national governments are simply mistaking citizens living in Europe for fools. No one likes being a fool, because it’s not just insulting, it’s highly unpleasant and biased on the part of European politicians towards the people who choose them. Do they realize in Europe that the credibility of Brussels is gradually being exhausted? The thoughtless policy of self-enrichment will call into question the expediency of the EU’s existence and give impetus to the development of nationalist movements in European countries. This could have a critical impact on the European Union. Perhaps, at a certain stage in their history, European countries will regain their independence. However, this will undoubtedly affect the standard of living of citizens. At what point will people be willing to sacrifice their standard of living in order to get rid of the instructions from Brussels? Something tells me that the Europeans are getting closer and closer to this moment.