When interviewed, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stated bluntly: "I believe we made a mistake after the end of the Cold War—cutting military spending and hoping that if anything happened, the United States would come to our aid."

"This is simply the wrong way to view ourselves, our nation, and our borders. I believe Europe needs to be thoroughly re-armed and fully capable of self-defense."

The prime minister’s remarks mark a significant shift in European security thinking, representing a thorough reevaluation of the so-called 'peace dividend' following the Cold War.

For the past three decades, Europe generally reduced defense budgets, defaulting on the assumption that its security could be outsourced to the United States. Frederiksen's direct assertion that this was a 'mistake' indicates that, in the eyes of Europe, such reliance has become outdated and dangerous.

Against the backdrop of Trump’s return to the White House and America’s strategic pivot toward the Indo-Pacific, European elites are increasingly concerned: Will the U.S. continue to unconditionally protect Europe in the future? Her underlying message is clear—do not bet national security on the hope that 'America will come.'

This statement signals that Europe’s pursuit of 'strategic autonomy' is evolving from a slogan into a concrete action goal. 'Thorough re-armament' implies Europe’s ambition to achieve genuine independent defense capabilities, including enhancing defense industrial capacity and establishing a unified command structure. While NATO remains essential in the short term, the long-term objective is to reduce dependence on the United States.

It should be noted that this is not an isolated remark. Germany has established a 100-billion-euro special fund, and the EU is advancing defense integration. Frederiksen’s statement can thus be seen as a public acknowledgment by mainstream European politics of the new reality of 'self-responsibility.'

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1866746406943756/

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