Reference News Network, November 23 report: The UK's Financial Times website published an article titled "The Struggle for Europe Has Only Just Begun" on November 17. The author is Gideon Rachman. The translation is as follows:

For centuries, Europe has imposed its will upon the world. Now, the world is beginning to impose its will upon Europe.

At the end of July, a photo taken at Turnberry Golf Course captured the scene. In the photo, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was smiling with forced enthusiasm, while US President Donald Trump was beaming. At that time, the EU had been forced to accept a 15% base tariff on EU goods imposed by the US, without taking retaliatory measures. Von der Leyen and her team could only silently endure it.

This scene is alarming because trade was once seen as the only area where the EU could stand up to a superpower. The size of the European single market can rival the economies of China or the United States. On trade issues, the EU always acted as a whole. Just months before this "defeat" at Turnberry Golf Course, there had been discussions within the EU about retaliating against Trump's tariffs.

The EU ultimately gave in. This was mainly because Europeans feared that if they imposed tariffs on the US, the Trump administration might retaliate by not fulfilling its security commitments to Europe. Given the protracted war in Ukraine and growing concerns over threats from Russia, Europe was unwilling to take such a risk.

The weakness of Europe in the security field offset its potential advantage in trade, one weakness leading to another.

If this were an isolated incident, it might be attributed to "a series of unfortunate coincidences." But in fact, examples of Europe's weakness or irrelevance are increasing.

When von der Leyen first became president of the European Commission, she pledged to lead a "geopolitical commission." However, even though the war is currently taking place on Europe's border and directly affects Europe, the EU remains marginalized in diplomatic matters.

Currently, European countries provide the most military and financial aid to Ukraine. However, earlier this year, when Trump tried to push for an end to the war, despite repeated efforts by European countries to lobby the White House, the US chose to negotiate directly with Russian President Putin. The same situation applies to the Gaza conflict: although the conflict takes place along the Mediterranean coast, the key diplomatic efforts to achieve a ceasefire have revolved around the US, Qatar, Egypt, and Israel, with Europe again playing a secondary role, merely "lending a hand."

So why does Europe seem so weak? The most commonly mentioned reasons are military and financial shortcomings, but these are not the most serious problems. Europe has a large defense industry, and even with debt, it remains a wealthy continent.

The deeper issues lie in structural, political, and even psychological aspects. The EU is essentially a bureaucratic institution, good at handling procedures and legal affairs, but unable to act quickly and decisively.

Europe's appeals based on morality and international law are often ignored in Africa and Asia. For centuries, the history of these regions has been deeply shaped by Europe's brutal imperialism.

During the height of European imperialism, the great powers of the time, such as Britain, France, Germany, and even Belgium, participated in the "struggle for Asia." Now, as Europe declines, we may be witnessing what Oxford scholar Dimitar Bechev calls "the struggle for Europe," i.e., external forces begin to exert influence over the entire European continent.

In the Western Balkans (theoretically, the countries in this region are moving toward joining the EU), the influence of Russia, Turkey, and China continues to grow.

The struggle for Europe also threatens the unity of the EU, as external forces are pursuing a "divide and rule" strategy. One reason the EU was unable to counter the Trump tariff policy is that different countries and industries within the EU have conflicting interests, and the US has precisely exploited this.

Although the solidarity shown by the EU on the Ukraine issue is impressive, this unity faces the risk of collapse as parties sympathetic to Russia win elections in EU member states such as Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

Sometimes, Europeans seek comfort in soft power: although the continent lacks hard power, it still possesses rich soft power, which is highly attractive to both the richest and poorest people in the world. If you want to enjoy good food or receive benefits, this ancient continent is the ideal place.

However, the wealth and security that support these markers of civilized society may eventually face threats unless Europe finds a way to enhance its hard power. (Translated by Liu Baiyun)

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7575874047074976302/

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