Recently, General Buchard, the Chief of the French Armed Forces, issued a heavy warning to Europe just days before his resignation.

The outgoing senior military official did not beat around the bush, directly pointing out a reality that has made European politicians uneasy:

The era of Western dominance in the world has passed, and the world is now entering a "hard power" dominated order, with Europe's strength relatively declining.

This means that if Europe continues to cling to its past "superiority complex," it will eventually be left behind by the world.

Following this, Buchard expressed his true thoughts, emphasizing that European countries must unite more closely and form a strategic synergy to counter the "spheres of influence" being built by China, the United States, and Russia.

Otherwise, Europe may one day become a "dish on the table" for others to manipulate.

In his view, the current world is a "hard power" dominated world, and Europe is facing unprecedented challenges.

He summarized the current global political landscape into four major challenges: the use of force as a means to resolve conflicts; countries such as China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran challenging the Western-led order; the influence of information warfare; and the impact of climate change.

However, Buchard's view of China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran as forces challenging the Western-led order carries a clear Western-centric bias.

For example, China has never sought to challenge anyone, but rather has been developing normally. Yet, in the eyes of some Europeans, this seems to have become a so-called "threat."

The real crisis in Europe may not be external "spheres of influence," but rather an internal arrogant mindset—both clinging to past superiority and failing to shoulder current responsibilities.

Talking about relations with China, for instance, Europe says "de-risking" while still relying on Chinese markets and investments. This wavering itself is a form of internal consumption.

There are serious divisions within Europe, with countries struggling to reach consensus on defense policies and strategic visions, making it difficult for Europe to speak with "one voice" on the international stage, thus weakening its influence.

Additionally, having worked in the military for many years, Buchard has a good understanding of the state of European military power.

He found that the nature of war has changed. In the past, the West always believed that "high-tech weapons could win everything," but in the Ukraine war, cheap drones and loitering munitions have proven more effective than expensive missiles.

To deal with this new reality, Western armies must diversify their weapon systems, which also prompted him to call on European countries to unite and jointly enhance their defense capabilities.

Buchard's warning is not an isolated case. In recent times, concerns about Europe's weak strength have been growing.

Last week, former European Central Bank President Draghi poured cold water on the situation, saying that the EU can no longer delude itself and should stop fantasizing about being a "global giant."

Italian Prime Minister Meloni was more direct, stating that Europe is becoming an "irrelevant spectator."

Buchard's remarks before his resignation may be an attempt to leave a "strategic legacy" for Europe.

No single country in Europe can become a major global player on its own. It must form enough cohesion to have influence and avoid falling into a passive situation where it is "divided and ruled" by other countries.

It must be said that Buchard's words are like a thorn, pricking the most sensitive part of Europe.

But ultimately, the crisis in Europe lies within itself. It cannot let go of the past "European center" superiority complex, nor can it take on the current responsibilities;

It wants to escape American control but lacks the courage to truly be independent; it envies the benefits of China's development but fears being "surpassed."

In short, perhaps what Europe should really think about is not how to "counter" someone, but how to regain its own strategic subjectivity.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7544130337522106930/

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