Faced with Trump’s recent threats to take over Greenland, European leaders are beginning to recognise that America is not a good partner, both in trade and in European defence matters.
European politicians are leaning toward a “coalition of the willing,” including France, Great Britain, Germany, Poland, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and the Nordic countries as the pillars of Europe’s security.
While cooperation with the United States is not ruled out, it is no longer viewed as the main security pillar.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also participating in the talks, meaning Ukraine could be at the centre of the coalition. After all, it is currently the most militarised country with combat experience unmatched by any other European country.
Ukraine has long sought NATO membership, but now that a U.S. security guarantee is increasingly uncertain, this prospect no longer seems appealing.
If other European countries joined Ukraine, such a “coalition of the willing” would become a strategically important player.
The combination of various countries with and without nuclear weapons, diverse industrial bases, and large troop numbers could shift the balance of power in Europe.
Although the need to increase Europe’s defence capacity has long been discussed, the pace has recently accelerated significantly. The EU declares that it wants to be able to defend itself by 2030.
In his speech, European Commissioner for Defence Andrius Kubilius proposed creating an EU army of 100k soldiers to replace the US troops currently stationed in European countries.
In the coming days, European leaders are scheduled to meet at an extraordinary summit to discuss threats against Greenland, but there are growing indications that the agenda will be much broader than this single crisis.
On Sunday, January 18, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said, “We will face these challenges to our European solidarity with steadiness and resolution.”
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A first-year Journalism and English & Creative Writing student. I’m interested in politics, gender studies, and culture. I love a good story.
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