Berlin is expressing doubt about the European Union’s ability to withstand the rise of nationalist parties and the pressure from the Trump administration. This unprecedented skepticism in Germany has raised fears of lasting weakening, or even the gradual marginalization, of Europe as it exists today.
I haven’t been able to read the full article because it’s behind a paywall, but I can see where it’s going. It treats these as two separate problems when they’re really the same thing. The actions of an aggressive United States and an expansionist Russia clearly fuel far-right parties, and this is part of that broader attack. Treating them as separate issues is a mistake.
On the other hand, the solution is also shared: creating a unified military structure — not 27 coordinated ones, but a single force. That would automatically include a common intelligence apparatus, which could effectively fight foreign interference in our elections and internal affairs. I’ve read about half a dozen calls from European leaders on this over the past year, but there’s still no concrete proposal on the table. If we keep waiting, by the time we finally unite it will be too late. As citizens, we need to apply pressure as much as we can.