After its triumph in the Cold War, the West went on the offensive. Europe integrated the former Warsaw Pact states, while the United States launched wars of choice to expand its liberal empire across the globe. The 2008 financial crisis, along with the failures in Iraq and Afghanistan, marked the peak of this expansion.
With the emergence of non-Western powers, the West is in relative decline. The second Trump administration abandoned two core pillars of American hegemony. The architect and guarantor of the liberal world order has declared it obsolete and openly questions its alliance with Europe. The inventor of the West has, at least for now, filed for divorce from Europe.
Europe finds itself in a difficult geostrategic position. In the East, a revanchist Russia has launched an aggressive war against sovereign Ukraine. In the West, the United States has called into question its security guarantees, that is, its promise of military assistance under Article 5 NATO Charter. In the South, from Africa to the Middle East, the end of Pax Americana has triggered a wave of violent conflicts, forcing millions to seek refuge in Europe.