Europe’s moment of truth arrives in Caracas

The multilateral system built after World War II aimed to secure peace, democracy and human rights through international law and institutions such as the United Nations. For decades, the US was its chief guarantor, defending sovereignty, territorial integrity and peaceful dispute resolution until Trump’s return to the White House spelled the end to that era. Yet the erosion didn’t begin with Trump. Rising nationalism, intensifying US–China rivalry, economic shocks and climate failures have all weakened the system. CIDOB’s fellow Carme Colomina pointed to selective adherence to norms as another accelerant. For example, the contrasting responses to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza have fuelled accusations of double standards, echoing long-standing criticism from countries in the Global South that multilateralism disproportionately serves Western interests. The EU has pledged to rearm and reduce reliance on US security by 2030, but the gap between aspiration and capacity is wide. “2026 could be a crucial year for the resilience of the European model,” Colomina said. “Or the year it reaches its political limits in a European Union caught between internal fractures and external threats.”