Media/Opinion pieces

In the 18th and 19th centuries, despite giving the impression of being divided, Europeans had the potential to dominate the world due to their substantial lead in fields such as science, technology, transportation and armament. Those days are now behind us. The World Wars of the 20th century, for which Europe itself was responsible, significantly weakened the continent, causing it to lose the lead it once held. Today, “continent-sized nations —established or rising global powers such as the United States, China, India, Russia and Brazil—represent a significant challenge for Europeans. It is easier for these nations to discuss or negotiate bilaterally with individual European countries, who are in a weaker position, than to face a united Europe, which is, still today, the world’s leading trading force and second largest economy. On their own, our old European nations, even the most powerful ones (Germany, France, etc.), are no longer a match for these “continent-sized nations”

France’s national borders and other boundaries.
Borders are natural or virtual lines marking the boundaries between two different nations and comprising sections known as dyads. These lines mark the limits of the jurisdictions of the individual sovereign States according to international public law and are governed, as a general rule, by treaties registered with the UN.

The invasion of Ukraine by Russia in February 2022 marked a major turning point in post-Cold War international relations. It has cast doubt on the rule of law, revived power dynamics, and questioned the global dominance of the United States and Western democracies, along with their values. 2024 will be a critical year for Ukraine, NATO, and the future of European defence.

We live in a world in which we are constantly bombarded with information of all kinds, often contradictory. Our brains are so overloaded that it is increasingly difficult for us to sort out the wheat from the chaff, separate truth from lies and generally discern what is best for us, our communities, our alliances, our country, our Europe.

European misconceptions over the relationship between the USA and NATO are commonplace: there is an unfortunate tendency to confuse US defence structures with NATO. There are many reasons why Europeans in general, and the French in particular, fail to understand the true nature of the relationship.