Leading Power
The US President’s behaviour has effectively shelved the USA’s claim to be the leading power of the free Western world. Naturally, a successor could return to this status. But now it is necessary for the EU to finally emerge as a unified power in foreign and security policy. A commentary by Rainhard Kloucek
The USA is the leading power of the free (Western) world. Almost everyone would have agreed with this statement in one way or another. The USA is a military and economic power, standing for freedom, democracy, human rights, the market economy, and the rule of law (even if criticism could be levelled in some areas). Since 28 February 2025 at the latest, the word “is” must be replaced by “was”.
Of course, the USA can achieve this “is” again. But not under this president and his team. The scenes during the visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the White House proved, at the very latest, that Donald Trump has nothing in common with the greatness of someone like Ronald Reagan, who proved with his speech at the Brandenburg Gate and his foreign and security policy what it means to be the leading power of the Western, free world: a clear, unmistakable stance against every form of lack of freedom, dictatorship, or even totalitarianism. Under no circumstances backing down to a KGB agent.
It does not matter why Donald Trump behaved the way he did towards his guest from Ukraine on 28 February, assisted by his VP JD Vance. It is irrelevant whether he was actually recruited by the KGB, as some claim, whether he is merely grateful because Russian oligarchs saved him from bankruptcy, whether there is kompromat against him, or whether it is simply due to his vanity, in which he considers himself the greatest dealmaker and believes he is the only one who can establish peace.
It is also completely irrelevant whether the Ukrainian President might have said the wrong word, or whether he should have worn a proper suit instead of a camouflage suit.
Donald Trump imagines he can make a deal with Putin. History teaches that Putin breaks every agreement. At the same time, Putin has his US colleague informed that a deal only exists on his terms. Or to put it another way: Trump wants to end the war against Ukraine, but Putin has not the slightest interest in doing so, unless Trump can deliver Ukraine to him on a silver platter.
The EU High Representative Kaja Kallas has correctly recognised that the Western world needs new leadership. This cannot be Germany or France (even if Macron is probably already dreaming of it). It can only be an EU acting in unison on foreign and security policy.
A challenge that has been part of the Paneuropa programme for 100 years. One can only hope that the political actors in Europe finally understand this!
