Europe must seize this historic moment, stepping up as America abdicates global leadership.
Donald Trump and J.D. Vance’s verbal assault on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office will mark February 28, 2025, as an infamous moment in American and world history. The United States is rapidly destroying its good name and alienating everyone except the world’s most brutal dictators. The damage to America’s credibility and reputation will take decades to repair – and may be irreparable.
More broadly, with the end of the postwar US-centered international order, we are witnessing the collapse of any global authority. As rogue states seek to capitalize on the chaos, Europe must step up and assume the role once played by the US. That starts by fully supporting Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.
Yes, Europe is not as powerful as the US militarily; but that does not mean it is weak. In fact, it holds all the cards that it needs. Its combined military forces are among the world’s strongest, most experienced, and most innovative. The Oval Office quarrel – which Trump and Vance seemed all too eager to provoke – should be the final impetus for Europe to get its act together, after decades of complacency. It has everything it needs to stand on its own, to support Ukraine, and to deter Russia.
Moreover, Trump’s shameful behavior is pushing America’s dearest ally closer to Europe, helping to bridge the post-Brexit divide. It is galvanizing the forces of democracy and compelling political elites to wake up. Europe may soon have a moderate two-party ruling coalition in Germany, and a committed democratic one in Austria. After a terrible year, French President Emmanuel Macron’s star is rising again.
Europe has a half-billion people and a GDP comparable to the US. We may not be as innovative, but the gap is not as large as pundits would have you believe. If we forge a coalition with Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea, we can close it soon – especially now that Trump, Vance, and Elon Musk are destroying the pillars of US power with their own cultural revolution.
In addition to raising costs for American consumers with tariffs, the Trump administration is waging a war on immigrants – long a unique source of American strength. Europe should capitalize by welcoming the best and brightest – including those being hounded out of America’s world-class federal agencies.
As for defence capabilities, Germany’s industrial base is sufficient to arm the continent, while France and Britain’s nuclear umbrella can replace America’s. The five largest European countries and the United Kingdom all currently have responsible, predictable governments that make a mockery of those now in power in Washington.
Poland has an especially important role to play in what happens next. Economic trends are on our side. Our army is growing. We made the right arms purchases while there was still time. Not even Trump can find a bad word to say about us. All of Europe can see this. The French (slightly jealous) speak of “le moment polonais.” Poland’s current leaders are among the most experienced, respected, and resolute statesmen to be found anywhere.
At the recent Munich Security Conference, I spoke with many US politicians – including those, like Senator Lindsey Graham, who are bending the knee to Trump – and I did not see much self-confidence. Rather than saying what they really think, they debased themselves and toed the Dear Leader’s line. It was embarrassing to watch.
When the Trump administration’s Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, was asked backstage whether “we still have an alliance,” he admitted that he himself doesn’t know. Power in Washington is now completely concentrated in Trump. There are no longer any “adults in the room,” only sycophantic parrots competing to amplify their foolish master the loudest.
The historian Timothy Snyder struck the right note in arguing that 2025 is not about what America thinks; it is about what Europe can do. The Trump policy (a generous term) can only be profitable in the short term; for now, no one will dare to go head-to-head with the US. In the long run, however, the dismantling of the US state, the pointless tariffs, and the alienation of friends and allies will cause lasting damage.
This is the moment to stand behind Ukraine. The treatment that Zelensky received was an absolute disgrace, loudly cheered by Russia. And no, he would not have gotten a better result if he had let himself be pushed around. This US government has shown where its loyalties lie. The same thing happened with the critical-minerals agreement that Trump’s advisers have been forcing on Ukraine. The first version amounted to mafia-style extortion, and Zelensky rightly rejected it. When a follow-up deal came, it was much better.
I will not be surprised if Trump and Vance’s disgusting behavior provokes a backlash from the American public. But Europeans cannot afford to wait. With Trump back in the White House, Americans will have their own very big problems to worry about. Europeans must take our future into our own hands.
Sławomir Sierakowski, Founder of the Krytyka Polityczna movement, is a Mercator senior fellow.