Europe is under attack from three sides – but the EU and Nato are unfit to defend us
Ursula von der Leyen’s outreach to Canada and new security proposals are wise – but she may not be the right messenger
TL;DR
- Europe is experiencing escalating hybrid attacks from Russia, exemplified by recent incidents in Germany, Ukraine, Lithuania, and Denmark.
- Donald Trump's threats and tariffs against the EU suggest a potential lack of US support in a crisis.
- The rise of the far right within Europe challenges liberal democracy and fosters internal divisions.
- Proposals include offering Canada "associate membership" of the EU, creating a "European security council," and establishing a mutual solidarity mechanism for hybrid attacks.
- NATO's effectiveness is contingent on US involvement, and its role becomes questionable if the US is unwilling to act.
- An emergency protocol is proposed to fill the gap between existing EU mutual assistance and inaction, allowing for rapid responses to attacks.
- Challenges to implementing new mechanisms include the EU's organizational complexities, slowness, and internal divisions.
- Both NATO and the EU are deemed unfit for purpose: NATO is tied to the US, and the EU is perceived as slow and peacetime-oriented.
- Alternative EU membership models, such as associate membership, could benefit countries like Canada and the UK.
- The rise of far-right nationalism may hinder consensus-building, making a smaller, more agile European security council a potentially viable option.
- Ursula von der Leyen's security proposals are necessary but may face institutional turf wars due to her reputation.