Respekt | We must hope for the best but expect the worst

The European Union is built on a liberal approach to international relations, rooted in the belief that every state has the right to shape its own future and that the global order is upheld by rules and institutions established after World War II. But we now live in a world where these principles are increasingly being challenged.

That doesn’t mean we should abandon these principles—they remain the best framework humanity has ever devised. But if other players are following different rules, we must learn to adapt as well—by building strong defensive capabilities and acquiring the hard power that Russia understands. Hope for the best, but expect the worst.

It was a mistake that the EU once gave so little thought to its own defense and economic strength. But it is a positive shift that this mindset is changing, that we are investing in defense, and that we are finding ways to finance it. In this, the EU is now proving to be a crucial ally for its member states.

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