The 9^th of May marked the European Union’s official ‘Europe day’. This celebration of ‘peace and unity in Europe’ stands in stark contrast with the world beyond.

With US president Trump living up to his campaign promise to quickly end the war in Ukraine through what Ukraine and Europe fear would be a Russian peace without their involvement, Europe collectively faces its 21st century Suez moment.

‘We all know what we have to do, but we don’t know how to get re-elected once we’ve done it.’ Thus spoke Jean-Claude Juncker as then President of the Eurogroup back in 2007.

A sense of defeatism hangs over the war in Ukraine. The Russian invasion is creeping forward and the frontline is showing cracks. President Putin is becoming more reckless in his attacks on civilians and cities.

If anyone in Europe still harbours any illusions about state of the world, a group photo from the last week’s BRICS summit in Kazan should suffice.

In April 1955, the heads of government of 29 African and Asian countries gathered in the Javanese city of Bandung.