Europe suddenly is in a hurry and does not hide it.

“There is only one thing that counts, and that is speed,” Danish prime minister said Meth Fredericksen Last February, announcing a 70% increase in military spending. Meanwhile, in neighboring Germany, the awaiting chancellor Friedrich Mertz It is alleged to finalize a special fund for the Bundeswehr worth hundreds of billions of euros. But the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaya Callas, argued that “it is up to us, the Europeans, to respond to this challenge” to lead the free world.

But it is indeed Europe on the doorstep to turn into geopolitical power, wonders Politico.

In terms of its population, its technological development and its economic sizes, Europe could easily be described as great power. However, the future of Epirus will depend more on the ability of its nations convert their financial power into defense capabilities.

According to Politico’s analysis, in order for Europe to really become the great power that some seek to be, it will need a political structure that will allow her to exercise the leadership of the US for a long time. But the prospect of shaping such a structure faces significant obstacles.

Today, two strong institutions are in Epirus in the foreground: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union (EU). However, neither of the two can easily be turned into a European self -protection and power vehicle.

US dominates NATO since its founding. And one can think of the military orders to be entrusted to the European forces and the position of the Supreme Military Leader – the Simeur Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces (Saceur) – to be given to a European instead of an American – but it is difficult to think of a European power. Knowing to date that the military leader of the alliance would always be American, Europe has avoided political competition. If this was changing, then this competition might have come to the surface again.

In addition, the European side of the Alliance would necessarily include a nations with a different foreign policy that is likely to conflict with those of its basic powers. And even if these leaders could be persuaded to hold their veto on an issue, the delays needed for an agreement could be important – as shown by the long -term processing of Sweden’s integration into NATO.

Europe, therefore, remains a mosaic of nations – states rather than a federal system. So, by the European bloc to become something that looks like the United States of Europe, any coordinated effort to promote Epirus will require its main players to form a multilateral military staff, Politico comments.

However, there is a historical precedent for this. During World War II, Washington and London formed the British-American Combined Chiefs. And while their decisions were, of course, subject to the approval of the British prime minister and the US president, they created a degree of co -operation that had not yet appeared on a military level. Unfortunately, however, creating a similar structure for modern Europe raises quite difficult questions.

First, how many countries would participate? The number of EU members is much greater than any concept of bureaucratic effectiveness would allow. And if all countries could not participate, which ones should participate?

While objective estimates of the magnitude of military capacity and foreign policy could propose the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Poland and, perhaps, Italy as a reasonable starting point, any initial organizational structure would also lead to a cacophony.

In addition, a combined staff responsible for the unification of Epirus forces and acquiring equipment could also cause intra -government difficulties in countries where military officers are not important foreign policy factors. And any regulation that prioritizes Europe’s largest powers would require the smallest, including those who are more exposed to Russia’s revanchism, to be linked to administration through one of the greatest powers. This typical inequality would be a significant rupture with the founding ideology of the block – though perhaps not with its practice.

However, if Europe is going to have military capabilities similar to those of a world leader, You will need a new organizational structure And the effort she has to make for her autonomy should be proportional to the size of the vibration she can absorb from the changes that are currently taking place in US policy.

During World War II, the US and the United Kingdom succeeded in successfully promoting their power because they shared not only a common language but also a common political heritage. But the nations of Europe today share much less and only time will show whether they are ready to face the challenge and overcome their differences.