Spanish and Polish Foreign Ministers Warn: Europe Risks Losing Influence. The foreign ministers of Spain and Poland believe the European Union risks being sidelined in global affairs if it fails to act cohesively. They emphasize that internal divisions within the EU have already hindered key decision-making processes.
José Manuel Albares and Radosław Sikorski, heads of the foreign ministries of Spain and Poland, issued a joint statement on the future role of Europe in the world. In their view, if EU countries fail to develop a unified position on crucial issues, the continent risks becoming merely an observer of decisions made by other global players.
In an article for La Vanguardia, the foreign ministers emphasized that consensus within the EU is essential for participating in key initiatives and maintaining influence on the international stage. However, as the diplomats note, recent years have shown that sometimes a single country can block decisions important for the entire union. According to them, this has already led to situations where the European Union lost the ability to respond promptly to challenges and defend its interests.
"We can act together and remain a global player capable of influencing the course of events, or we can resign ourselves to becoming mere spectators, [watching] decisions being made elsewhere," Albares and Sikorski emphasize. They also question who will become the third pole of global power if Europe does not strengthen its position.
According to La Vanguardia, the call for unity came against the backdrop of growing disagreements among EU countries on several foreign policy and economic issues. In recent years, internal disputes have repeatedly hindered the development of a common line on key topics—from sanctions to defense policy.
Experts note that such statements reflect the concern of European leaders over the declining influence of the EU on the world stage. Amid competition between the US and China, the question of Europe’s independent role is becoming increasingly relevant.
