Europe must break free from its digital dependence

[BRUSSELS] Over the past few weeks, US President Donald Trump’s administration has delivered a series of devastating blows to Europe’s remaining illusions about America’s enduring support.

Vice-President JD Vance’s confrontational speeches at the Paris artificial intelligence (AI) summit and the Munich Security Conference set the tone, followed by Trump’s executive order directing his administration to retaliate against foreign efforts to regulate American tech companies. But, it was only after the Oval Office confrontation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that European leaders finally got the message: they are on their own.

This shock therapy may be just what Europe needs to heed former Italian prime minister Mario Draghi’s desperate plea to the European Parliament: “Do something!”