“The man of forty crowns: Is there no way to eradicate this contagion ravaging Europe? They tried to weaken the poison of smallpox, why not try to do something about syphilis too?

The head physician: There could only be one solution - for all European rulers to unite… It would be much better if they come to an agreement and beat back humankind's common enemy…”

Disinformation, hybrid war, lack of predictability, attempts to divide Member States on many issues, full neglect of the international law and order. All this has characterised Russia's attitude towards Europe in the last decade. As if it was Moscow's main enemy.

The devil is in the detail. The revelation of the contract between AstraZeneca and the UK yesterday is ample proof of that wisdom.

The EU’s recent proposals to strengthen its economic sovereignty and the international role of the euro are a step in the right direction but must be followed up by concerted action from member states to expand the eurozone economy as a whole, and its trading reach. Without greater international use of the euro, the Union’s strategic autonomy will be considerably limited.

I went to Moscow this week to test, through principled diplomacy, whether the Russian government was interested in addressing differences and reversing the negative trend in our relations. The reaction I received points visibly in a different direction. So, as EU we will have to reflect on the broader implications and chart a way forward. We are at a crossroads. The main parameters of the geopolitical landscape of the 21st century are being drawn. 

Recent vaccination campaigns kicking off across Europe brought with them a sense of relief after a year of uncertainty. Unfortunately, old hat politics and management came along for the ride.

On 1 January 2021, Brexit took full effect, with the UK becoming a ‘third country’. While the public debate has focused on the economic fallout, we also need to decide how the EU and the UK can cooperate on foreign and security policy. On 25 January, EU Foreign Ministers discussed the issue, giving their guidance, with EU unity and interests as the central thread.

In front of the White House, in the four corners of Lafayette Square, stand statues of European heroes of the US Revolutionary War: French generals Lafayette and Rochambeau, Polish general Kosciuszko and German general von Steuben. They, and many other Europeans, spared no effort and spilled their blood to help build freedom and democracy in America.

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed life as we knew it. It has changed values, economies, freedom, etc. Almost all industries suffered from the severe slowdown, caused by the pandemic. Almost, but not all. Sectors linked to the crypto industry enjoyed robust growth. Of course, the crypto economy always means crypto currency.

The European Union’s New Year Resolution must be to brush up on its ABC of foreign policies. Europe is facing greater volatility than ever, and the EU must respond with unprecedented imagination and political courage.