NATO, the EU, and Global Security: A New Role for Europe

Abstract

The world desperately requires mediators and peace-makers that can help prevent the New Cold Wars and the war in Ukraine from becoming all-out global wars that imperil the planet. Unfortunately, NATO, as Europe’s main global military force allied with the U.S., has long allowed itself to become an instrument of U.S. hegemonic policy, at a time when we need Europe to help reduce hegemonic aspirations of all the Great Powers, including the U.S., China and Russia. I argue here that Europe must crystallize and pursue its own foreign policy, both inside and outside NATO, to defend its own economies and security and to advance global collective security in alliance with the Global South and progressive popular forces in Europe and around the world. Success would change and limit NATO, seeking to restrain it from pursuing New Cold Wars and making it a new partner in pursuing global peace and collective security.