Comment by xvector
10 hours ago
I am deeply skeptical of this statement. Soft power is great but actual power comes from the ability to project your military and economy.
As such, the US's soft power will remain until the EU is willing to compromise on its welfare state to build an actual functioning defense industry and an economy that prioritizes innovation over taxes/regulation.
But I am skeptical the EU/UK will ever reach such a compromise (see: mass riots in France over raising the retirement age, despite it being objectively and clearly necessary; the UK's reluctance to release the triple lock pension despite it impoverishing the country, etc.)
I take it you don’t follow the European defence industry news but the wheels are very much turning already. They are planning an independent future and are hyper aware that it is now official US nation strategy priority to try and destroy the European Union as a political body and make it into a vassal state
I do follow EU defense news and I have seen that things are heating up. But I'll believe it when I see it.
This will require a significant shift of public funding allocation away from welfare, and the public will need to approve it. Will they? I doubt it.