The consequences of the war in the Middle East are already being felt everywhere. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has caused a dizzying increase in oil and energy prices. President Donald Trump has asked European allies in NATO to help restore freedom of navigation. So far, they have largely rejected requests for military assistance.

Europe’s position is even more difficult, due to dealing with the consequences of Russian aggression in Ukraine. A war that has entered its fifth year and where American support is crucial to its conclusion. 

On the one hand, economic and trade disputes with the United States, and on the other, the ‘flooding’ of Europe by Chinese goods and industry, are accompanied by legitimate concerns about the future and sustainability of the European project. Is European project going through a silent revolution being transformed from a soft to a hard power?