European Security: Stop Sleeping and Wake Up

Abstract

The twenty-first century has come with new security challenges, some of which are being played out very close to Europe's borders. One of the latest examples is Russia's growing aggression, which is challenging European political principles and core values. Russia appears to be testing the unity and strength of the Western world. For its part, Europe seems unable to wake up to the threat. But there is no time to lie back: our response must be immediate. Europe must acknowledge that it could face a military threat on its own territory–-war is not a ghost of the past but a present reality. Our goals should be the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory and ensuring that Ukraine has full control over its borders. Serious efforts should also be made to bolster EU security through closer cooperation with NATO and increased defence budgets.