Europe Must Take Mark Carney's Warning Seriously, or Face the Consequences of Its Own Helplessness.
The recent words of warning from Mark Carney, Canada's former governor and a respected voice on global economics, cannot be ignored. Carney's stark assessment of the current state of international relations, where might makes right, sends a clear message to European leaders: they must either get their act together or face the consequences of being powerless in the face of US aggression.
The US president's increasingly belligerent behavior has left Europe caught between de-escalation and bargaining for time, while secretly planning its own escalation. Trump's latest move, demanding control of Greenland from Denmark, has brought the continent to a standstill. EU leaders are torn between appeasing Trump by offering concessions and risking further humiliation, or taking a strong stance against his bullying of allies.
Carney's lesson is simple yet profound: "When we only negotiate bilaterally with a hegemon, we negotiate from weakness." By accepting US dominance, Europe loses the very foundation of its sovereignty. The time for nostalgia is over; it's time to face reality and take action. Carney advocates for a new path – one where European countries combine forces with like-minded nations to build new trade pacts and rules.
The EU must put its words into action by standing firm against Trump's abuse of power. This means agreeing to slap retaliatory tariffs on US goods worth €93bn if the US takes any further action against EU members. Moreover, they should activate their "trade bazooka," a powerful tool that allows wide-ranging economic and regulatory measures against a foreign power trying to coerce Europe.
The recent delay in ratifying a trade pact with Mercosur group has sent a concerning message to other countries seeking to clinch trade agreements with Brussels. European leaders would do well to heed Carney's warning: no more comforting illusions of Atlanticism, but a painful emancipation from the US-dominated world order. It's time for Europe to take its rightful place as a major player on the global stage, and Carney has shown the way.
As one EU leader dreads saying, "Nostalgia is not a strategy." The time for indecision is over; it's time to act. Will European leaders heed Carney's warning, or will they continue down the path of helplessness? Only time will tell, but the stakes are too high to ignore.
The recent words of warning from Mark Carney, Canada's former governor and a respected voice on global economics, cannot be ignored. Carney's stark assessment of the current state of international relations, where might makes right, sends a clear message to European leaders: they must either get their act together or face the consequences of being powerless in the face of US aggression.
The US president's increasingly belligerent behavior has left Europe caught between de-escalation and bargaining for time, while secretly planning its own escalation. Trump's latest move, demanding control of Greenland from Denmark, has brought the continent to a standstill. EU leaders are torn between appeasing Trump by offering concessions and risking further humiliation, or taking a strong stance against his bullying of allies.
Carney's lesson is simple yet profound: "When we only negotiate bilaterally with a hegemon, we negotiate from weakness." By accepting US dominance, Europe loses the very foundation of its sovereignty. The time for nostalgia is over; it's time to face reality and take action. Carney advocates for a new path – one where European countries combine forces with like-minded nations to build new trade pacts and rules.
The EU must put its words into action by standing firm against Trump's abuse of power. This means agreeing to slap retaliatory tariffs on US goods worth €93bn if the US takes any further action against EU members. Moreover, they should activate their "trade bazooka," a powerful tool that allows wide-ranging economic and regulatory measures against a foreign power trying to coerce Europe.
The recent delay in ratifying a trade pact with Mercosur group has sent a concerning message to other countries seeking to clinch trade agreements with Brussels. European leaders would do well to heed Carney's warning: no more comforting illusions of Atlanticism, but a painful emancipation from the US-dominated world order. It's time for Europe to take its rightful place as a major player on the global stage, and Carney has shown the way.
As one EU leader dreads saying, "Nostalgia is not a strategy." The time for indecision is over; it's time to act. Will European leaders heed Carney's warning, or will they continue down the path of helplessness? Only time will tell, but the stakes are too high to ignore.