The Washington Post: Europe Is Finally Waking Up
- 28.09.2025, 16:35
There are three signs.
U.S. President Donald Trump's inconsistent stance has forced European politicians to start taking real steps to take care of their countries' security. This is according to an editorial in The Washington Post.
Although there have been many reassuring statements from Trump recently, he still leaves too many doubts as to whether the U.S. will actually stand up for European allies if the need arises. One of his recent statements was telling in this regard. Asked by reporters whether Europeans should shoot down Russian planes in their airspace, Trump replied "Yes." But when asked if the US would stand up for a European ally in such a situation, he said it depends on the circumstances.
This ambiguity in the US president's position inspires the Kremlin to launch new provocations in Europe, but also forces Europeans to do something to strengthen their own security, The Washington Post notes. Journalists have spotted at least three signs that the Europeans are finally getting smart.
First sign: journalists learned that European officials held a meeting in Moscow this week in which they warned the Russians that they are prepared to shoot down Russian planes in their airspace.
Second sign: on Friday, the first planning meeting for Europe's recently launched "wall of drones" initiative took place. It is indicative that unlike many such events, this time Ukraine was invited as an equal participant and NATO as an observer. That is, the Europeans are interested in Ukraine's real combat experience in a specific aspect.
The third sign: this week, journalists learned about the intention of Germany - the largest economy in Europe - to spend $90 billion on defense next year. And the key point here is that most of the money will go to buy European weapons. Only 8% will be spent on American weapons.
"In time, Europeans may even thank Trump for getting them on their feet. For now, however, the increased seriousness in Europe is a direct consequence of Trump's unpredictability. Now that Berlin, Paris and London are shouldering much of the burden, the president [Trump] can help them by becoming more consistent in dealing with Russia," The Washington Post notes.