From rhetoric to reality: Europe’s future depends on imperatives
The EU has long portrayed itself as a principled actor, guided by values and international law. This image, rooted in its treaties and history, has often masked the Union’s limited ability and political will to act decisively on security, defence and foreign policy. Where member states retain control, Brussels has frequently substituted lofty declarations for coherent strategy and effective instruments. For a time, this moral positioning was enough to set Europe apart and win it a limited measure of credibility abroad.
But in reality, Europe has always pursued interests, often dressing them in the language of values. The problem is structural: the EU cannot have a national interest, only a European one. That European interest frequently collides with the narrower priorities of its member states, leaving the Union paralysed when coherence and power are most needed.
In today’s harsher world, this gap is unsustainable. Beyond values and interests lie imperatives: the non-negotiable actions required for Europe’s survival. Neutralising Russia’s threat to European security, supporting Ukraine, reducing dependence on authoritarian powers, ensuring technological sovereignty — these are imperatives, not options.
The EU can agree on values, and sometimes on shared interests. But so long as member states prioritise their own agendas, Europe as a whole will remain weak and ineffectual. Donald Trump’s ability to coerce Europe so easily is proof of this vulnerability.
Values still matter, and interests still shape choices. But only imperatives determine survival. Unless Europe acts on them, it will become a bystander in its own future.
Fabian Zuleeg is Chief Executive and Chief Economist at the European Policy Centre.
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