The EU needs more partners to safeguard globalization

Given the uncertainties, concerns, mistrust and fears prevailing across the world, mainly because of the Trump administration’s unstable foreign policy, politicians in the European Union may not be capable of protecting globalization, let alone promoting it. This fear was evident in the speech European Council President Donald Tusk made at the European Union-West Balkans Summit last week, in which he said some major global players were no longer the friends of the EU.

But before elaborating on the cross-Atlantic partnership, Tusk said “the rise of China” and “the aggressive stance of Russia” were the EU’s traditional political challenges. Such claims, rather beliefs, are baseless, but they could prompt EU politicians to keep other global players at arm’s length in regional and international affairs.

More important, Tusk said the United States administration and President Donald Trump practiced a policy of “capricious assertiveness”. He was even quoted as saying that looking at the latest decisions of Trump, “many could even think that ‘with friends like that who needs enemies’.” Tusk went on to say that Europe should be grateful to Trump “because thanks to him we have got rid of all illusions.”

The EU should fulfill its responsibilities as one of the major global players, and the international community needs to take serious and immediate actions to protect free and fair global trade.