Trump Shows Europe the Way

US President Donald Trump is exhibiting some tough parenting skills vis-a-vis Europe. Although the GDP of the European Union at 20 trillion USD is not as large as the GDP of the United States at 29 trillion USD, nevertheless the population of the European Union with 450 million citizens is much larger than that of the United States with 340 million citizens. What is needed is nothing less than a European declaration of independence. The European Union will remain a confederation, yet it is urgent that Europe merges its toothless national militaries into a joint EU military. Why should the US fight WWIII in Europe against Russia when Europe has the economic and demographic potential to defend itself without external assistance? The EU must form its own Pan-European military to prevent war, not to fight war. If you want peace, prepare for war. The problem at hand is that NATO no longer deters Russia as Russia apparently plans further wars in Europe. I argued for a united EU military already three years ago after Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine. The reality is that liberal-democratic Ukraine wants to be fully part of the EU and the EU must begin to treat Ukraine’s eastern international border as its own Eastern border. Europeans attempting to appease Russia will find themselves invaded by Russia. Nevertheless, Trump is right, it is not America’s job to defend Europe, as the economic and demographic fundamentals of the European Union show that Europe can establish the capacity to defend itself on its own without American involvement. There is no other choice than to win the war in Ukraine and reestablish Ukraine’s international borders. Contrary to what is assumed will European troops fighting in Ukraine not lead to WWIII but rather prevent it.