Summary
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen outlined the EU’s vision as a global economic leader during the World Economic Forum, contrasting Trump’s “America First” policies.
She highlighted Europe’s advantages, including its large single market, social infrastructure, and commitment to the Paris climate accord, while emphasizing new alliances with Latin America, Africa, and Asia.
Avoiding direct criticism of Trump, von der Leyen underscored the EU’s stability and rules-based approach.
Her speech signaled a pivot away from U.S.-centric relations and a focus on global trade diversification.
see, that sounds great and everything, until you realize that if we fast foward six months from now, europe is going to watch as russia retakes ukraine without firing a shot itself, just like everyone else. cowardice has always been an option for europe, which has had since 1945 to get it’s shit together vs Russia, but instead saw the majority of it’s countries spend their GDP on 5 weeks of paid holidays a year, while deep throating Russian gas and oil, even after it illegally annexed Crimea 11 years ago. if it’s US led Europe is the tough guy standing behind, without the US, Europe hides
tbh Ukraine was almost in a different era before Euromaidan, once they did that it cemented them as pro-west not potentially pro-west, and it’s unfortunate that as soon as it cemented it was moving away from Russia it was attacked by it, this timing was precise by Putin, it leaves it open to the fact that Ukraine hasn’t had enough time to fully integrate into the EU meaning that Europe doesn’t see it as one of its own, in the same way an attack on Italy would be seen.
For those who haven’t seen this is a bit exaggerated American style but still really good movie:
Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom | Full Feature | Netflix https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzNxLzFfR5w
Ukraine is no less European than Norway or the UK. Or Belarus, for that matter. Or Russia. The trouble we have with Russia is that they’re the only one of the family not having sworn off imperialism, or at least switched to soft-power imperialism, and before Euromaidan it wasn’t clear how much of a grasp Russia’s empire still had in Ukraine. Seemed to look better than in Belarus, but not to a degree one could count on.
Also there’s some wibbles about Western Europe thinking Ostpolitik would work with Far Eastern Europe, after all, it worked so well with Central Europe. Poles and the Baltics have been shouting “you’re idiots” from the top of their lungs, we ignored them, considered their shouting to be the result of PTSD. Which yes I mean it is but also they were right.
I think in the context of Europe sure, in the context of integration into the wider Western European ecosystem no.
If Russia had invaded Norway or the UK NATO would have been engaged from minute 1 and Russians would have been exterminated like cockroaches on day 1
Yep there were plenty of warning signs, and this is probably one of the few times (as much as it fucking kills me to say it) that Trump has been spot on:
Word for Word: President Trump Strongly Criticized Germany at Start of NATO Summit (C-SPAN) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXqZf72pAhk
If a fucking moron like Trump can spot a problem (and end up being right about it) then I think the EU is making some serious mistakes.
This is a joke
Everyone thought the reason he’s making a fuzz is because he wants to sell more US gas. Which I still think was the reason: It’s not like he cared about anything else Russia did, or worried about Europe at any other point in time.
The German strategy of economic entanglement was successful in the sense that it successfully destroyed the Russian economy (making them reliant on imports instead of developing their own capacities), that entanglement stopping aggression was contingent on the Russians being rational.
As to the gas thing: Lots of long-term contracts. E.g. Austria is to this day I think receiving Russian gas, thing is if they stopped receiving they’d still have to pay. Germany got out of that conundrum because the Russians stopped delivering so Germany could cancel the contracts without penalties. You might ask “it’s war, why are we caring about contracts”, and the answer is it’s the Austrians.