In recent years, the European Union has been speaking more loudly about the need for “strategic autonomy,” but its real geopolitical position raises an old question: is the EU losing sovereignty on the world stage? Italian analyst Thomas Fazi, in the article “Europe, la capitulation permanente,” describes Europe as a continent in constant retreat in the face of external pressures and the interests of stronger powers. This assessment may seem harsh, but some facts support it.

Fazi emphasizes the lack of strategic autonomy in the EU. In the war in Ukraine, the Union firmly supports Kyiv but mostly follows the strategy of NATO and Washington. Similarly, in the latest Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the European voice remains muted, without independent initiative alongside the dominant role of the USA. The NATO umbrella is still the backbone of European defense. Economically, a number of the Union's trade and energy decisions favor Washington more than Brussels. Such examples reinforce the impression that Europe is giving up part of its sovereignty for the sake of transatlantic unity.

Still, the situation is more complex than it seems. The EU is a heterogeneous bloc of 27 states with different interests and historical ties. While French President Emmanuel Macron warns that Europe must not be someone else’s “vassal” and advocates for the EU to become a “third power,” many Eastern European member states continue to rely on the USA as the main guarantor of their security. Historically speaking, the American alliance has been the foundation of European peace for decades, so a sudden distancing carries risks. Also, the EU and USA share key democratic values, so Europe's alignment with American actions often stems from shared beliefs, not just from pressure.

In the end, Europe is indeed faced with the challenge of preserving its own sovereignty in a time of geopolitical turbulence. Fazi rightly warns that without a strategic vision, the EU risks remaining merely a follower of others’ policies. However, the answer is not simple: the Union must balance between loyalty to a long-time ally and the need to strengthen its independent voice. That balance will determine whether Europe asserts itself as an independent global actor or remains in the shadow of others’ decisions.

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