This summer has shown, clearer than ever, how little control Europe still has over its own future. The war in Iran has made gas and food more expensive, the one in Ukraine remains unresolved after four years, fires are driving hundreds of thousands of people from their homes, and a wave of migrants at the border with Morocco is once again dividing the leaders of the Union. The common denominator of all these crises: the forces that trigger them are largely out of Europe’s hands, writes The New York Times.
It has already been a brutal summer for Europe: two wars, record-breaking heat, rising inflation, and a deep-seated anxiety about food, energy, and security. The crises that follow one after another stir calls for collective action, urgent Zoom meetings among various groups of presidents and prime ministers, and political turmoil in parliaments, from Poland to the United Kingdom.
But, just like many other things that have happened in recent years, a good part of Europe’s challenges are beyond her control.
The war in Iran – a conflict that most of Europe never wanted – has turned life upside down throughout the region, driving up the price of gas, food, and travel. The continent’s leaders have promised to help secure the transit of oil through the Strait of Hormuz once the fighting ends. And yet, they seem doomed to learn about the next stage of the war from Trump’s social media posts.
Europe has not been able to end the war in Ukraine even after more than four years of bloodshed. Its achievements in reducing emissions to combat climate change are overshadowed by the actions of the United States and China. The future of artificial intelligence is largely taking shape elsewhere. Right-wing populism has grown, fueled by migration, inequality, and misinformation.
“No matter how you look at things, no matter how you measure them, it’s a difficult and disturbing time for Europe“, says Richard Haass, who led the Council on Foreign Relations for two decades.
He believes that Europe is, in part, a victim of circumstances, but also bears some of the blame for the lack of authority over its own destiny.
Read more HERE