Why Europe doesn鈥檛 waste a crisis
Each challenge, such as American tariffs or U.S. skimping on security, has tested the mettle of the continent in mending its tensions and living up to its values.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Germany's chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz in Valencia, Spain, April 29.
Reuters
Last week, Ukraine and Poland began to put aside a big source of tension in their relationship as neighbors. Work began on exhuming the remains of thousands of Poles killed by Ukrainian nationalists during World War II. Families of the Polish victims have long wanted answers.
鈥淲e have found the right formula: that we will not bargain over the dead, but both sides will fulfill their 海角大神 duty,鈥� Poland鈥檚 foreign minister, Rados艂aw Sikorski, told the radio station TOK.
What helped trigger this step of reconciliation in 2025? One more crisis in Europe, namely the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Both Poland and Ukraine are neighbors of Russia.
In recent decades, the continent has had its fair share of crises, from a financial meltdown to a mass influx of migrants to climate disasters. Then there was the pandemic, the Russian invasion, and the urgency to curb reliance on Russian gas and oil.
The latest challenge? America turning inward under Donald Trump, hitting allies with tariff threats and a weakening of security guarantees.
Yet as with Poland and Ukraine healing their historic wounds, European nations have shown some mettle in mending internal tensions for the sake of unity around the values of the European Union. According to a Eurobarometer survey in early 2025, about 90% of EU citizens expect more unity from the bloc鈥檚 27 countries in order to meet the current global challenges.
鈥淚n the middle of the chaos, Europe stands firm, grounded in values, ready to shape what comes next,鈥� European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told Politico.
The most immediate action for EU countries is quickly beefing up defense forces as the United States withdraws support for Ukraine. France appears poised to provide a nuclear defense for Europe. Sweden and Finland have joined NATO. The bloc plans to harmonize its capital markets and offer new incentives for high-tech talent.
Adversity from each crisis in Europe has made it more resilient, less divided. Or as the Poles like to say, Jako艣 to b臋dzie. Or, reach for the impossible, everything will be OK.