COMMENTARY / Thank God for the approval of US aid to Ukraine by the US Congress last week. Let’s face it, it would be desperate without it. Moreover, in addition to the aid itself, the result of the vote will certainly have a psychological impact on both sides of the conflict.
But yes, it’s embarrassing that Europe, with a population of 500 million, relies on the US, which has a population of 342 million, to protect us from a lagging nation of 142 million. It must not be just a wake-up call for Europe, but a really cold shower that must wake it up if it does not want to get into similar situations repeatedly. A mentality that is set in such a way that it still relies more on others than on itself must change. Europe has what it takes to play a leading role in key situations.
That is why it is certainly necessary to remind that, compared to the USA, Europe does not give much, for example, to help Ukraine, but even so, it is simply not enough without the USA’s help today. In addition, Europe faces other challenges, where it relies on others, even though it itself should at least want to be more active, if not the leader itself, because it is definitely in its interest. If, for example, China were to fulfill its goal towards Taiwan, such a conflict would have a much greater impact on the economy of all of us, even in Europe, than a war with Russia.
But is Europe today willing and ready to play a leading role in this? Is Europe ready, given what is happening in the world at the moment, to start changing its dependence on China, which is even more harmful than that on Russia? It shouldn’t even be questions today, but rather a done deal. Europe as a whole has to start doing something about this, because this is the only way to avoid other big problems in the future.
The author is an MP for TOP 09 and the chairman of the foreign committee of the Chamber of Deputies Parliament of the Czech Republic.
