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In a world of growing disorder, the European project is now about hard power. Whether we like it or not, we need to reinvent the purpose of European integration or risk being divided, marginalized or both. The 9th of May marked the European Union’s official ‘Europe day’. This celebration of ‘peace and unity in Europe’ stands in stark contrast with the world beyond. Europe is waking up to fact that it sits strategically alone: Russia is an enemy, China an adversary as well as

Europe must fin a way to the art of a non-Russian peace deal in Ukraine, or it will face its 21st century moment. There are ways to achieve this, but bold actions are required to convince the Trump administration. With US president Trump living up to his campaign promise to quickly end the war in Ukraine through what Ukraine and Europe fear would be a Russian peace without their involvement, Europe collectively faces its 21st century Suez moment. A Russian strategic victory i

The European Union and its leaders know what to do, they even know how to do it, but they do not know how to pay for it. How can we solve this curse? ‘We all know what we have to do, but we don’t know how to get re-elected once we’ve done it.’ Thus spoke Jean-Claude Juncker as then President of the Eurogroup back in 2007. Fast forward to 2025, Europe’s new ‘Juncker curse’ is that its politicians know what they have to do but don’t know how to pay for it. Call it Von der Leyen