The war in Ukraine has changed a lot: who will become the leader of the EU/Channel 24 website collage
I have been following the topic of leadership of key EU countries at the level of specific personalities for a long time. After Merkel's departure from the post of chancellor, even before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, when her policy in a number of areas was not considered erroneous, the problem of a leader on a European scale was already apparent at that time.
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Germany, as the EU's largest economy, has entered into a lengthy coalition-building process. Scholz became chancellor, who slowly from the point of view of Ukraine, but quickly from the point of view of Germany, is revising “Merkel's legacy” in the direction of change – both in the field of security and in the field of energy policy. But in relation to Germany, the question now is not so much in terms of Scholz's leadership qualities, but in terms of the new Ostpolitik being built.
Macron and Draghi
France, represented by Macron, immediately claimed leadership after Merkel's departure . Macron has been very visibly demonstrating this desire. However, his statements that “Putin should not be humiliated” and endless phone calls against the background of the presidential and parliamentary elections, albeit with a subsequent change of position, nevertheless closed this niche for him. At least right now.
Italy. Mario Draghi, whom I personally watched with great interest. The prime minister of a third-economy country with a fairly close connection to Russia, who at the same time articulated his position on Putin quite clearly (Draghi was one of the first to say that there was nothing to talk about with Putin) and gained influence in Brussels. And now he is resigning due to the collapse of the coalition.
The position of the West
I am convinced that at this stage the position of the West and Europe as a part has been strategically determined. This is a position aimed at reducing any dependence of the EU on Russia. In this sense, a change of governments cannot entail a turning back.
But pace and speed matter, and it really depends a lot on subjective factors. For Ukraine, this is important. Because every day we are fighting in a war, and the consolidated position of the West is important to us. Well, who, in the end, will become the leader of the EU is even interesting.
