Kasparov

3.27.2025

[This article originally appeared in Die Welt on March 26 2025 here.]

Europe is facing a crisis of political will. Its leaders do not seem ready to meet the challenge posed by the war in Ukraine, and while they have taken some steps in the right direction, their actions remain deeply insufficient. Moreover, they have failed to articulate the reality of the current situation—that Europe is at war. It is engaged in an existential conflict with Putin’s Russia and with the global authoritarian network it supports. While this war was launched in a KGB-style hybrid format, it is now being waged in Ukraine as an all-out military confrontation. Its outcome will determine nothing less than the world order for years to come. What is at stake is whether freedom and democracy will prevail or be forced aside by the rise of authoritarianism.

In many ways, this European crisis could have been predicted. The European Union is an institution that naturally elevates politicians who seek consensus and excel in diplomacy. But the present moment calls for an entirely different algorithm. Some leaders are recognizing this and changing their language. Last week, President of Finland Alexander Stubb powerfully said that “Ukraine must be armed to its teeth.”

I wholeheartedly agree, but we must match strong rhetoric with strong action. For the most part, Europe’s leaders continue to speak and act as though they are governing in a time of peace. Europe still continues to indirectly do business with Russia through Central Asian intermediaries. It continues to spend inordinate amounts of time trying to convince Hungary to make decisions in support of democracy. It continues to allow Putin’s lobby to reap business and political successes across the continent. That is not how countries fighting in a war operate. You don’t negotiate with cancer—you cut it out.

America is notably absent from the fight, or, worse yet, is acting in ways that support the enemy.  The Signal leak scandal from this past Monday––which further exposed the attitude of condescension toward Europe from top Trump officials––has only bolstered this grim reality. Europe cannot wait for another administration to come to power and step in to restore the democratic order. It must adopt a position of all-out war and start taking steps to fight it. I don’t want to speak only in abstract terms—the situation is too dire—but rather propose specific actions that can be undertaken now.

It is important to first note that there are different levels of political will required for various measures. Europe must ultimately cultivate enough courage to take on even the most challenging ones, but, at the very least, it can start with the low-hanging fruit. The first category of action requires simply enforcing existing rules, ensuring that they are not being circumvented in ways that support Putin’s regime. The second class requires taking some initiative, but ensuring that it is fully in European hands.

The third, and most difficult, requires changes to internationally recognized rules. This includes measures such as confiscating Russian money held abroad—but we will set that category aside, because Europe is not even near being ready to push for such changes. We will instead focus on the first two categories, where a great deal can, and must, be quickly done.

I call on European leaders:

• End the export of Russian oil through shadow fleets that violate international environmental regulations.
• End indirect trade with Russian companies through third-party countries.
• Recall their country’s ambassadors from Moscow (not fully severing diplomatic ties, but rebuking the current regime).
• Immediately suspend Hungary from voting and receiving financial aid from the European Union. (And, while they are at it, warn Slovakia that it is next.)
• Switch to conscription for military enrollment.
• Take measures to curb Putin’s network of agents and lobbyists in Europe.
• Form a fully independent European defense block—a parallel NATO that can operate in the absence of American global leadership.

In doing the above, Europe must not impose any red lines. Such boundaries are inappropriate for times of war; there can be no predetermined limits on action. Instead, there must be a willingness to do whatever it takes to win, up to and including deploying troops to Ukraine—if that is what is necessary.

The new German government will have a great deal of money to spend, and potential budgets depend on what priorities it articulates. This is the moment to clearly establish that the country–– and the continent––is fighting an existential enemy and must make itself ready for battle.

Only if Europe buckles up and embarks on this agenda, as a start, will it come even close to meeting the heroic effort Ukraine has demonstrated. Ukrainian blood has been stopping Putin from trampling over democracy, both within its borders and beyond. But Ukraine needs help, and it needs it now. The country is running out of time.

It’s past time that complacent, stagnant Europe step up and act in proportion to the extreme sacrifices its neighbor Ukraine has made. This a historic opportunity for its leaders to demonstrate that Europe can evolve and adapt to meet present challenges—and carry the torch of democracy while Trump’s America reneges on its global responsibilities.