Their concern in action is trying to convert European Union officials (EU) in an increasingly hostile world as they have seen the block on the sidelines in US negotiations with Russia for Ukraine and being forced into a humiliating trade agreement by Donald Trump.
They failed, once again, to adjust their relationship with Beijing and saw another French government collapse due to a budget impasse, while the well -known divisions hinder efforts to form a coherent response to the Gaza war, according to Bloomberg.
As the US, China and Russia are abandoning rules -based class that supported European prosperity for decades, many EU leaders are aware of the terrible consequences if they do not respond to the challenge, according to a senior official who knows their conversations.
This is the unpleasant setting for European Commission President Ursula von der Laen when she spends her annual speech on the European Union’s situation on Wednesday (9.9.25).
“The common element now is fear,” former Italian Prime Minister and EU Commissioner Mario Monti said in an interview.
One issue of her speech will be the call for action, in particular with regard to the reconstruction of the European Armed Forces, according to people who are aware of preparations. A committee spokesman refused to comment on the details of her speech.
When Von Der Leyen began her second term 10 months ago, she warned that Europeans are fighting for their freedom and sovereignty. However, her committee has suffered a number of defeats.
To prevent a trade war with the US, it accepted an unbalanced trade agreement that will abolish duties to US goods sent to the EU, while most European exports to the US will face 15%duties. Despite these concessions, Trump continued to threaten more retaliation, after the committee imposed a fine of almost € 3 billion ($ 3.5 billion) on Google, Alphabet Inc. last week.
In July, President Xi Jinping ignored its warnings about limiting access to the single European market, unless China opened its doors to European companies, and refused to guarantee the supply of critical minerals that have contributed to the increase in Beijing influence in Brussels. Israel’s attacks on civilians in Gaza, despite calls by European leaders, have underlined the feeling of weakness.
Despite the rumors of a new European multilateral alliance without the US, the block is more like a small player than a global power, said an EU official – defender, unprepared and very scared to act.
“The EU is not able to promote a front of countries with a similar mentality to offset the absence of the US,” said Alicia Garcia Herrero, an economist at the Think Tank Bruegel in Brussels.
To change this momentum, the Commission’s chief plans to increase the focus on EU plans to ensure that Member States are ready to face the military threat from Russia within five years, people who know its way of thinking, with specific landmarks in its 20 -year -old planning. October.
Von der Layen also wants to establish a regular timetable for the Commission in order to oversee military aid and ensure that Member States keep their commitments, just as it does on financial and budgetary issues.
National capitals should be more willing to support the defense’s initiatives, given the deterioration of the relationship with the US, Monty said.
“The feeling of urgency is an instinct of survival,” Monty said. “But I’m sure this will also bring us a feeling of pride quite quickly.”
But Von der Leyen is facing increasing doubts about whether it can revive the EU influence.
“Europe is in an extremely difficult situation and with a great lack of leadership,” Garcia Erero added.
European leaders have been drawing up such plans for years, and another former Italian leader, Mario Draghi, addressed his own call for action a year ago.
None of these has prevented opponents such as China, Russia or the US from finding ways to divide the Member States and prevent the EU from acting as a block. Long -term differences in economic policy have also prevented the EU from exercising its burden on capital markets, energy or defense production, while internal problems in key economies such as France undermine the dynamism of the bloc.
EU countries do not invest sufficiently in the army for years
In the context of its wider effort to restore the feeling that the EU can shape its future, the Commission’s head is also aimed at enhancing business competitiveness by tackling high energy costs, reducing regulation and concluding more trade agreements, such as those with South American or South American economies.
At a meeting in Brussels in Brussels last week, he told members of the European Parliament that he wants to meet the challenges that many Europeans face in finding affordable housing or in paying their accounts.
The Commission has drawn up a list of proposals to enhance its competitiveness at the beginning of the year, but so far only a few legislative proposals have been raised to reduce bureaucracy, with top officials absorbed in trading with the Trump government.
There are also doubts about Von der Leyen’s tactics, which seek to carry more power than the capitals to Brussels, just as he did during the Covid pandemic.
Von der Layen seems to want to lead the leadership in coordinating defense reinforcement, some EU diplomats said, despite the fact that they are primarily for national competence. While this may be welcome in smaller countries focusing on finding ways to move the EU faster and synchronized, it is likely to create tension with its homeland, Germany, which has so far been conducting the overwhelming majority of all new defense spending.