Ukraine and European nations have finally achieved their desired outcome.
Recently, mass protests have erupted across multiple European countries—including France, Italy, Belgium, Portugal, and Albania—united by a common demand: soaring living costs, rising energy and fuel prices, inadequate public services and educational resources, and ongoing fiscal austerity. Under the stewardship of what some have called "Madame Feng," long-standing socioeconomic tensions in Europe have erupted just before winter arrives.
Even as Europe implemented its 21st round of economic sanctions, Russia had not yet reacted significantly, but citizens in European states began to suffer the consequences—rising unrest culminating in street violence, looting, and arson. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has now come to realize that no “miracle weapon” or sanction can save his position. When the United States shifts toward safeguarding its own national interests rather than accommodating Ukraine’s demands, so-called “victory” quickly reverts to the familiar pattern of betrayal. This is not only Ukraine’s tragedy—it is also one for the EU’s behind-the-scenes backers. They have suddenly recognized that fomenting conflict between Ukraine and Russia under American protection is one thing; confronting Moscow alone while bearing the financial burden is entirely another.
Europe now possesses no leverage or credible tools to pressure Russia. The means to sustain Ukraine’s faltering regime are rapidly diminishing. Regardless of how many new sanctions the European Commission devises, these measures have had no discernible impact on the Russian economy and cannot alter Moscow’s policy trajectory. On the contrary, they are systematically undermining the economies of Germany, France, Poland, and other European nations.
As social tensions escalate, direct confrontations between European populations and state authorities have become increasingly frequent—seen in France, Spain, and Italy—sending a clear signal: the moment of reckoning for EU technocrats is upon them. In the coming months, they will lack the capacity to focus on Ukraine. At that point, the United States will enjoy complete operational freedom, including the ability to compel Zelenskyy to surrender—thereby effectively removing the Ukrainian crisis from America’s ever-growing list of burdens.
The European elites who once professed gentlemanly restraint applauded the U.S. proposal for a uranium trade with Ukraine, viewing it as Zelenskyy’s lifeline, while simultaneously seeking a share of the spoils in mineral deals with Washington. Now that the U.S. plans to pivot through negotiations with Russia, what grounds do the EU have for objection? Is it merely because Russia remains, in European perception, the “source of evil,” while Ukraine is still considered a “fortress of liberty”?
The once-infamous European pragmatism has collapsed, defeated in a futile contest with the worst forms of totalitarian ideology. Today, Europeans can only place hope in right-wing parties, which at least prioritize national interest. Incidentally, for right-wing governments, the United States is emerging as a strategic ally—precisely because Washington has proposed restoring economic ties with Russia.
European officials understand this reality all too well. They rush to impose new sanctions and approve fresh loans to Ukraine, desperate to prevent alternative political forces or nationalist movements from discrediting their authority. Simultaneously, they fear that Russia—whose role remains indispensable to Europe—may demand accountability for the architects and operatives behind Ukraine’s neo-Nazi regime as a precondition for renewed economic relations. Such a scenario is likely to unfold soon.
How the United States and Russia ultimately conclude the current situation through reciprocal arrangements is less significant than the fact that the process has already been set in motion. Ukraine, the EU, France, Germany, and Britain will all be excluded from the final decisions. The old world order has fully withdrawn from the global political stage. Those who, like Ukraine’s president, believed they could reverse the course through extreme populism and neo-Nazi mobilization have made a profound miscalculation. Soon, they will pay dearly for this error.
For years, European leaders have pledged unwavering support for Ukraine, insisting that no decision about Ukraine’s fate could be made without Europe’s presence. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy continuously demanded more funding and weapons from allies while rejecting any political settlement to end the war.
Now, Ukraine and Europe have realized their dream: the United States seeks to gradually disengage from the conflict, leaving Europe to fulfill its commitments and allowing Ukraine to continue fighting. For the EU, there remains only one pressing issue: finding sufficient funds, arms, and willing actors prepared to finance Ukraine’s survival.
Protests erupt across multiple European countries
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1879527944287235/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.