Europe News
EU Founded for Peace, Now Engaged in War
Paris (Imran Y. CHOUDHRY) :- Former Press Secretary to the President, Former Press Minister to the Embassy of Pakistan to France, Former MD, SRBC Mr. Qamar Bashir analysis : Ursula von der Leyen recently announced, following the London summit, that the European Union would unveil a “comprehensive rearmament plan for Europe on March 6.” She emphasized the urgency of increasing military investments in order to “prepare for the worst.” However, this announcement has sparked significant skepticism and criticism. Many Europeans question the source of the funding for such a militarization effort, wondering if their remaining resources will be stripped away.
For years, the European Union has been portrayed as a beacon of prosperity and peace. Yet, critics argue that fear has consistently been used as a tool to push citizens into supporting harmful policies. Increasingly, Europeans perceive that the real threat does not come from Moscow, Ukraine, the USA, or China, but as the vice president of the United States, J.D. Vance, recently echoed the true threat comes from within Western institutions, not from external adversaries, specifically from Brussels, where leaders like Ursula von der Leyen, Emmanuel Macron, and Olaf Scholz are accused of manipulating narratives to sustain the war in Ukraine.
European project, originally built on the promise of peace, now seems to be leading the continent toward war. The European Union, rather than securing the future, seems to be digging the grave of Europe itself. Klaus Schwab’s infamous quote, “You will own nothing and be happy,” is now being interpreted as a grim prophecy rather than a utopian vision.
The skepticism extends to concerns about political rhetoric. Many see the discourse surrounding figures like Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as exaggerated, questioning the credibility of those who label him a “hero.” Detractors argue that European leaders could have just as easily fabricated a threat from extraterrestrials, highlighting what they see as the absurdity of the current narrative. The focus, they claim, should not be on an external aggressor but rather on the internal decisions that have led to economic hardship and political instability across the continent.
A significant segment of European public opinion believes that Russia has not provoked the EU, NATO, or France, but rather that European leaders are pushing for a prolonged confrontation with a nuclear power that possesses 5,000 warheads. Critics warn that such reckless policies could lead Europe into another catastrophic conflict—just as the continent was at the center of two world wars in the past century. Calls for rearmament are met with sarcasm, as some Europeans express mock enthusiasm about facing Russia alongside Sweden, questioning the feasibility and necessity of such a move.
Public concern is growing over Ursula von der Leyen’s authority and the legitimacy of the decisions she is making on behalf of European nations. Detractors argue that these actions undermine national sovereignty and democracy, concentrating power in Brussels while stripping individual nations of their ability to determine their own paths. The criticism does not stop at von der Leyen; Macron, Scholz, and other European leaders are also being accused of leading the continent down a destructive path.
The argument is that the push for increased military spending diverts crucial funds away from essential public services, environmental sustainability, and social welfare programs. Instead, these resources are being funneled into a “cannon fodder project” that benefits the wealthy elite at the expense of the general population. The war means according to them, raising taxes, which could lead to public outrage, cutting social benefits, further impoverishing struggling families and printing more money, causing hyperinflation and economic collapse.
Analysts who have studied European opinion trends note a significant shift in public sentiment. Many now believe that the war is unwinnable and that Russia holds the key to both prolonging and ending the conflict at its discretion. There is a growing recognition that continuing down the current path will only lead to further instability, economic hardship, and a potential escalation that could have devastating consequences for Europe.
With Europe already facing challenges from extremist threats and economic struggles, adding a military confrontation with Russia and increasing dependence on U.S. foreign policy could spell disaster for the continent. Critics argue that unless European citizens wake up and demand accountability from their leaders, they will be dragged into a war with catastrophic consequences.
Ultimately, the core of the argument is that European leaders are not safeguarding the interests of their people. Instead, they are prioritizing a militaristic agenda that serves political and financial elites. As tensions continue to rise, the question remains: Will European citizens take control of their future, or will they allow themselves to be led into another devastating conflict?
There is growing resentment toward European leadership, with some comparing the current EU to a “Fourth Reich” that seeks to impose its will on member nations. Rather than serving the interests of its people, the EU’s current trajectory appears to be one of decay, defeat, and disintegration. Instead of focusing on the prosperity and well-being of its citizens, the Union is investing in military escalation. But this time, the people will not be deceived. The resistance against this war is growing.
After nine years, European public, analysts and thinkers seem to have reached the same conclusion that former U.S. President Donald Trump did regarding military preparedness. However, financing a military expansion while already supporting a costly war is problematic. Money does not fall from the sky, and diverting funds means making painful cuts elsewhere. The challenge now is whether European leaders will dare to increase taxes without triggering a backlash from an already frustrated population.
This growing frustration among European citizens mirrors sentiments expressed by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly criticized NATO and questioned its role in global conflicts. Many Europeans now share Trump’s perspective that NATO initiated the war under false pretenses, framing it as an act of aggression. As public discourse shifts, more people in Europe are aligning with the idea that the conflict is not in their best interests but rather serves as a means to further impoverish ordinary citizens while enriching the powerful.
At least three people have died in a scorching heatwave that is fuelling dozens of wildfires across parts of southern Europe, forcing thousands of people from their homes.
Red heat alerts have been issued in parts of Italy, France, Spain, Portugal and the Balkans, warning of significant risks to health as temperatures push above 40C (104F).
Spain’s weather service Aemet said temperatures could reach 44C (111.2F) in Seville and Cordoba, while southern Portugal could also hit 44C.
In Spain, an equestrian centre employee died after suffering severe burns in Tres Cantos, near Madrid, where winds over 70km/h (43mph) drove flames near homes, forcing hundreds to flee.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Tuesday that rescue services “are working tirelessly to extinguish the fires”.
“We are at extreme risk of forest fires. Please be very cautious,” he added in a post on X.
In Spain’s north-western region of Castile and Leon, almost 4,000 people were evacuated and more than 30 blazes were reported – with one threatening the Unesco-listed Las Médulas, renowned for its ancient gold mines.
Another 2,000 people were evacuated from hotels and homes near the tourist hotspot of Tarifa in the southern region of Andalusia.
Almost 1,000 soldiers were deployed to battle wildfires around the country, Spain’s national military emergency unit said on Tuesday morning.
In neighbouring Portugal, firefighters battled three large wildfires, with the most serious near Trancoso contained in the centre of the country on Tuesday.
More than 1,300 firefighters and 14 aircraft were deployed, with Morocco sending two planes after Portuguese water bombers broke down, Reuters reported. Authorities warned southern regions could hit 44C, with the temperature not expected to dip below 25C.
One child died of heatstroke in Italy on Monday, where temperatures of 40C are expected to hit later this week. Red heat alerts were in place for at least 10 Italian cities, including Rome, Milan and Florence.
A four-year-old Romanian boy, who was found unconscious in a car in Sardinia was airlifted to a hospital in Rome but died due to irreversible brain damage, reportedly caused by heatstroke, medical authorities told AFP.
Almost three-quarters of France is under heat alerts, with temperatures forecast to top 36C in the Paris region and 40C in the Rhône Valley.
French Health Minister Catherine Vautrin said hospitals were braced for fallout from the country’s second heatwave in just a few weeks.
Greece is battling more than 150 wildfires across the country, exacerbated by fierce winds, with nearly 5,000 firefighters and dozens of aircraft tackling the blazes.
Mass evacuations are under way on touristic island Zakynthos and in western Achaia, where blazes have destroyed homes, vehicles and businesses.
Grigoris Alexopoulos, the mayor of western Achaia, said the fires in the region were “out of control”, adding some coastal areas have been “irreparably damaged”.
Rescue boats have been evacuating beachgoers trapped by advancing flames on Chios and authorities have requested several EU firefighting aircraft.
Greek authorities are warning the conditions could become even more challenging in the coming days.
Turkey has brought several major fires under control, including in Canakkale and Izmir, after hundreds were evacuated and the Dardanelles Strait and Canakkale airport were closed.
In Montenegro, a soldier died and another was injured when their water tanker overturned while fighting fires near the capital Podgorica.
Wildfires in Albania forced people to evacuate their homes on Monday, while in Croatia a large fire raged in Split and was contained on Tuesday.
Parts of the UK are sweltering in its fourth heatwave of the year, with temperatures hitting 33C and amber and yellow heat health alerts in place for all of England.
Two grassfires broke out in the capital on Tuesday, one in Ealing and another in Wanstead Flats, burning more than 17 acres combined.
Scientists warn global warming is making Mediterranean summers hotter and drier, fuelling longer and more intense fire seasons.
Additional reporting by Nikos Papanikolaou.
Paris ( Imran Y. CHOUDHRY):- The 221st session of the Executive Board of UNESCO started in UNESCO Headquarter in Paris. Composed of 58 Member States, the Executive Board meets twice a year and is the main policy-making body of the Organization.
Permanent Delegate of Pakistan to UNESCO, Ambassador Mumtaz Zahra Baloch addressed the plenary session of the 221st session of the Executive Board of UNESCO.
In the Executive Board meeting, Ambassador Madam Mumtaz Zahra Baloch speak some important points:
- Reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to a stronger and more effective UNESCO to meet today’s challenges.
- Emphasized the need for a realistic and sustainable budget to deliver on its strategic priorities in education, science, culture, and communication.
- Urged strategic rationalization in the structure and work of the organization; enhancing synergies, and reducing duplication and overlapping.
• Called on UNESCO to foster scientific collaboration to address common challenges; promote democratization of scientific progress and innovation; and insulate scientific advancement from artificial barriers and strategic competition.
- Appreciated the dedication and commitment of the UNESCO staff and underlined the need for transparency and accountability.
Office lights in some corners of Westminster were on much later than usual last night.
Why? Because ministers and officials, just like so many others, were watching the telly to see what President Trump would have to say, the Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds among them.
The president, brandishing a giant rectangular piece of card packed with the new tariff increases, unleashing waves of anxiety across factory floors, boardrooms and government ministries the world over.
Folk in government in the UK had picked up a sense of the mood music – a sense that the UK was “in the good camp rather than the bad camp” as one figure put it to me – but they had no idea in advance precisely what that would mean.
We now do know what it means.
I detect a sense of relief among ministers, but make no mistake they are not delighted – the tariffs imposed on the UK will have significant effects, and the tariffs on the UK’s trading partners will have a profound impact on jobs, industries and global trading flows in the weeks, months and years to come.
It will be “hugely disruptive,” as one government source put it.
There is an acute awareness in particular about the impact on the car industry.
- Live updates: Reaction to Trump’s tariffs announcements
- At a glance: What president’s new taxes mean for EU, China and others
- Global reaction: World leaders criticise Trump tariffs as ‘major blow’
- Explainer: What are tariffs, and why is Trump using them?
Negotiations with America over a trade deal continue.
I am told a team of four UK negotiators are in “pretty intensive” conversation with their American counterparts – talking remotely, but willing to head to Washington if signing a deal appears imminent.
Let’s see.
Those on the UK side characterise the discussions as “more like a corporate conversation than a trade negotiation”, putting that down to the personnel, outlook and biographies of plenty in the Trump administration.
The other point being seized upon at Westminster, in particular by the Conservatives, is the difference between how the UK is being treated compared to the European Union – with plenty pointing to it as a dividend of Brexit.
The Liberal Democrats, by contrast, think the UK should work with Commonwealth and European allies to stand up to President Trump and impose retaliatory tariffs “if necessary”.
The Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is meeting affected businesses on Thursday and the business secretary will address the Commons.
The next chapter of this economic revolution begins now, with how the world reacts, in rhetoric and retaliation.
This in itself will have a huge impact.
Whether, how and when some choose to respond will have economic and political consequences at home and abroad.
The global story of Donald Trump’s tariffs is only just beginning.
Taken From BBC News
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