Speaking at the European University Institute, Sikorski argued that Russia’s war on Ukraine and a widening Middle East conflict show Europe must field stronger political, economic and, if required, military defenses.
“The price for American security guarantees is going up […] we are witnessing shrinkflation of security”, he said, comparing Washington’s role to a product that gets smaller while the price stays the same.
Sikorski, whose country hosts two U.S. armored brigades, said Moscow is constantly probing NATO’s resilience through cyber-attacks and air-space incursions. He predicted President Vladimir Putin would realize this year that “President Trump cannot force either Ukraine or Europe to accept a plan of forced capitulation and will have to enter serious negotiations”.
While praising the European Union for doing “more than I expected” to help Kyiv, the minister urged faster deliveries of weapons and higher, innovation-driven defense spending. “Security and deterrence are the foundation of Europe’s future”, he said, noting that defense outlays also fuel new technologies.
Turning to the Middle East, Sikorski said U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iran were meant for Tehran “but also for America’s allies”, quoting U.S. defense secretary Pete Hegseth: “We are no longer defenders. We are warriors trained to break the enemy’s will”.
Europe’s comparative stability, he added, could be a strategic asset “when the world is ruled by chaos”, yet it must be matched by the ability to act. Values remain central: “We are much more than a free-trade area”, Sikorski told students, calling EU unity “a process that requires constant effort”.
The veteran diplomat, once an avowed Eurosceptic, conceded he had been “misled” by British media in the 1980s. “Europe has the potential to become something unique”, he concluded, “but only if we invest in our own security”.
(jh)
Source: PAP