【Wen/Observer Net, Ruan Jiaqi】

Europe has not dared to take a strong stance or clearly condemn the U.S. attack on Iran, but only vaguely complained and deliberately involved China in smearing it, revealing its hypocritical position.

According to "Politico.eu", the European edition of Politico, on March 10, it was reported that on Tuesday local time, the President of the European Council, António Costa, warned in a speech that the U.S. and Israel's attacks on Iran are exacerbating instability across the Middle East and opening up a more dangerous new era of geopolitics.

In this meeting of the EU diplomatic corps, he warned that the emerging multipolar world requires multilateral solutions, rather than the influence of power politics replacing international law.

But then he turned around and complained that this move would only benefit the EU's rivals. When criticizing the U.S. for undermining the rules-based international order, he forcibly brought in China as well, putting on an act of "criticizing one by one."

"The international system is undergoing dramatic changes. A world where power politics is resurging has arrived," Costa claimed. "We have recognized this new reality - in which Russia disrupts peace, China disrupts trade, and the United States challenges the rules-based international order."

On March 10th local time, António Costa, President of the European Council, gave a speech at the EU diplomatic corps meeting. Video screenshot

Costa mentioned in his speech that the U.S. and Israeli strikes caused the death of Iran's former Supreme Leader Khamenei and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, leading to "serious economic consequences."

He emphasized that these actions "violate international law," yet he also claimed that Russia is the "only winner" in the current situation, expressing dissatisfaction with Moscow benefiting from the surge in energy prices, the exhaustion of U.S. weapons, and the global attention shifting away from Ukraine.

At the same time, he did not forget to call on the EU to extend and launch a new round of sanctions against Russia, emphasizing that pressure should continue to be applied to Russia, promoting a so-called "just and lasting peace" that benefits Ukraine and does not harm European security.

According to Euronews, Costa then loudly boasted that the EU will always defend the rules-based international order, even if other countries do not abide by it, the EU must double down on respecting international rules.

He said that the EU treaty and the UN Charter are the core of the EU's foreign actions, advocating a multidimensional foreign policy, "to avoid further division of the world, which is in our interest."

He also stated that the EU should not tolerate "violations of international law," and should condemn various violations of international law from Ukraine, Greenland, Latin America, to Gaza and the Middle East.

Costa said that the Iranian people deserve freedom and peace, but at the second week of the U.S. and Israeli military action, bombing alone cannot achieve this goal, "only international law can protect them."

Euronews mentioned that the day before, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, delivered a sharply worded speech at the same meeting. She believed that war had become a given fact, and political debates could not change its course.

Von der Leyen then called on ambassadors to pursue a "more realistic, interest-oriented foreign policy" in this chaotic and transactional world, and lamented, "Europe can no longer continue to be the guardian of the old order, guarding a world that has already passed and will never return."

"We will always safeguard and maintain the rules system we have built with our allies, but we can no longer use it as the sole means to protect our own interests, nor can we assume that these rules can protect us from the complex threats we face," she added.

However, according to interviews with European diplomats by Euronews, von der Leyen's remarks were not consensus among the 27 member states, representing only her personal stance, and not the EU.

This also indicates that the legitimacy of this military action remains a focal point of disagreement among EU members.

French President Macron warned last week that the attacks "violated international law"; Spanish Prime Minister Sanchez was strongly dissatisfied with the U.S. after refusing to allow U.S. fighter jets to use Spanish airbases for related operations; and German Chancellor Scholz initially downplayed the significance of international law, stating that it was not the time for the EU to lecture its allies, which angered Spain. Scholz was also criticized by Spanish media, being called a "coward."

On March 4th local time, Spanish Prime Minister Sanchez spoke, reiterating his opposition to the U.S. attack on Iran, and not fearing retaliation. Video screenshot

According to a previous report by "Politico.eu", Scholz's spokesperson tried to downplay the obvious differences between the two countries, saying that their "relationship is not tense at all." He also defended Scholz, stating that the German Chancellor's foreign affairs advisor, Söder, immediately informed his Spanish counterpart after meeting with Trump.

But he admitted that the two leaders had not spoken since Scholz visited Washington. According to him, Scholz had tried twice to call the Spanish Prime Minister Sanchez but failed, and added that Scholz left a voice message and was waiting for a response.

Sánchez's spokesperson responded that Scholz couldn't get through because he dialed an outdated number, and Sánchez regularly changes numbers for security reasons. The spokesperson stated that although the misunderstanding had been clarified, Scholz had received the updated contact information, but the two had not yet spoken.

However, on Monday of this week (9th), Scholz reiterated his support for the U.S.-Israel military action in Berlin. He claimed, "Iran is the center of international terrorism. This center must be shut down, and the Americans and Israelis are doing it in their own way."

That day, Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Díaz of Spain told "Politico.eu" that she believed the relationship between the two countries could withstand the current tension, but expressed disappointment with Scholz and other EU leaders who did not condemn the U.S.-Israel continued attacks on Iran together with Spain.

"The UN Charter clearly defines what constitutes an illegal war," she said. "Any EU leader should be expected to clearly uphold international law."

She attributed Scholz's support for Trump to Germany's "extreme economic weakness" and considered this reflected Europe's excessive dependence on the U.S. "We need strategic autonomy, we need our own European industry. We need to reduce our reliance on China and the U.S. on technology, finance, and energy. We need to have our own soul," she said.

Díaz also said that Scholz was not an isolated case, but belonged to a group of EU leaders who "have no idea how to deal with the historical moment we are in." She emphasized, "What Europe needs today is leadership, not sycophants who pay homage to Trump."

Costa also criticized Trump for threatening trade sanctions against Spain over its stance. He said last week, "The EU will always ensure that the interests of its member states are fully protected."

Costa also acknowledged in the above activities that the EU sometimes struggles to respond quickly to crises, but emphasized that the EU must learn from past experiences.

"I know that forming a unified position in a timely manner is sometimes very difficult. But we should have learned valuable lessons, such as the need to respond quickly to emergencies, as seen in the Gaza situation," he said.

This article is an exclusive article of Observer Net. Without permission, it cannot be reprinted.

Original: toutiao.com/article/7615795183384347176/

Statement: The article represents the views of the author.