-Analysis-
PARIS – Emmanuel Macron has coined a bold phrase to describe the current moment in Europe: he called it the “end of geopolitical minority status.”
He spoke at the conclusion of a meeting Thursday in Paris of a new “format,” as it’s called in diplomatic circles: the “coalition of the willing”—31 countries committed to supporting Ukraine during this precarious moment. It’s not yet peace, not even the end of the war, but a phase fraught with dangers that are impossible to ignore.
For the latest news & views from every corner of the world, Worldcrunch Today is the only truly international newsletter. Sign up here.
The most striking aspect of this gathering was, of course, the glaring absence of the United States. Every country present is a U.S. ally — though many are beginning to wonder if that should now be spoken about in the past tense. Hence Macron’s phrase about leaving behind that “minority status” in international affairs a kind of emancipation, a coming of age on the world stage.
American absence
Thursday’s gathering had the feel of a Western alliance without the Americans. Most European Union countries were present, except for Viktor Orban’s Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, and Malta. The EU members were joined by other NATO members, such as the United Kingdom, Norway, Canada, and Turkey. Even Australia made the trip from the distant Pacific. The absence of the United States was all the more striking, underscoring a shift in the geopolitical era.
The so-called “leader of the free world” from the Cold War era has morphed into a self-serving imperial power.
What binds these countries together is the painful realization that the so-called “leader of the free world” from the Cold War era has suddenly morphed into a self-serving imperial power, one that no longer recognizes allies or friends.
Those who had grown too comfortable under Uncle Sam’s protection now find themselves exposed in an increasingly dangerous world.
Italian bridge?
This coalition, still riddled with contradictions, came together in just a few weeks as it became clear that Ukraine might pay the price for this shift. The moment of humiliation for Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office was likely the final wake-up call.
Amid this uncertainty, the “coalition of the willing”— a sort of soft NATO has found itself with two co-leaders: France and the United Kingdom. As nuclear powers with battle-hardened armies, they stand out from the rest. Emmanuel Macron and Keir Starmer are at the forefront, backed by their top military commanders in a partnership that goes beyond mere cordiality.
There are also dissenting voices, such as Giorgia Meloni, who expressed hope yesterday that the United States would be invited to the next such meeting of the “willing.” The Italian prime minister clearly hasn’t given up on acting as a bridge across the Atlantic.
In reality, no one wants to break ties with the United States, but most of the participants can only now begin to accept that it is Washington turning its back on them.
Despite the uncertainty, something unprecedented is happening as these once-submissive U.S. allies organize without them. It’s a historic moment, though we must remain cautious about its actual potential to change the game.
