FLASH
Shkruar nga Kurt Bassuener & Valery Perry
In the face of uncertainty coming from Washington and Moscow's hybrid aggression, the new "Europe+" coalition will be the necessary shield for democratic sovereignty. This project requires unprecedented military and economic coordination, starting from solving geopolitical challenges in the Western Balkans...
As global leaders and the security and foreign affairs establishment prepare to gather this Friday at the Munich Security Conference, the “rift” created by the Trump administration in the international order – which economist Mark Carney diagnosed last month in Davos – has now become an undeniable reality.
But while the European Union is taking protective and diversification measures, a strategic perspective, let alone a coherent set of policies, is still lacking. However, some things are already clear.
The new "Europe+" alliance (which includes Britain, Norway, and Canada) must be created as soon as possible. The policies are not yet in line with the reality on the ground, and this was especially emphasized in Davos by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Under the current administration, the US poses a major threat to democracies in “Europe+”, as well as to those across the Atlantic such as Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand.
"Malicious foreign influence" is not only Russian disinformation, sabotage, and support for anti-democratic far-right movements, but now it also comes from the top brass in the US.
The Trump administration knows it can exert greater coercive control over its allies by maintaining ambiguity over security commitments in order to gain further concessions.
The technology sphere, where the EU has begun to exercise greater sovereign control, is being openly used as a “stick” by the US in its relations with Europe. Therefore, this is a weakness that requires urgent collective efforts.
The EU itself is anything but a “middle power.” It is an economic superpower whose political, military, and regulatory weight remains uncoordinated.
What is Europe+?
Europe+ could aim to be an alliance of middle powers. The EU's proclaimed values - democracy, the rule of law, the protection of human rights - have broad resonance and are shared not only with the North Atlantic countries, but also with states in Latin America and Africa.
This group of democratic countries, finding themselves “on the menu” of hegemonic powers, could constitute a new kind of non-aligned group that upholds international norms. Efforts to decarbonize economies and make energy production more resilient to shocks (as seen with Russia’s war crimes against infrastructure in Ukraine) are in the service of sovereignty.
Moscow and Washington, two existential threats
For Europe, Russia and the US are the most existential and imminent hegemonic threats. New financing mechanisms, including “European Defense Bonds,” should also be urgently considered.
The European Union is not just a “backbone”, but a direct target for Russian sabotage. To date, only President Zelensky has spoken about the creation of a defensive zone for the whole of Europe. This issue deserves serious discussion this weekend. Nowhere is the influence of “Europe+” as strong as in its expansion zone.
Litmus test in the Western Balkans
In the Western Balkans, the EU can be decisive against the hegemons. An approach focused solely on enlargement has failed for 20 years, radiating weakness. Europe+ is directly challenged in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia.
In Bosnia, the EU has the cards in hand against the separatists, provided it chooses to
Use them. In Serbia, Brussels has not yet changed its accommodative policy towards Aleksandar Vučić's regime, which damages its regional credibility.
Ultimately, the threat to European democracy comes not only from outside, but also from within. This includes authoritarian leaders within member states and that section of citizens who seek to put them in charge.
Migration remains the most divisive issue. A collective democratic strategy was announced in Davos. Now in Munich, it must take its full form./ Adapted from "Pamphlet", from "EU Observer"
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