Weber opened with a critical assessment of the European Union, arguing that the EU currently appears weak. While Europe excels at rhetorical commitments, he noted, these are too often followed by insufficient action.
In response to the tariffs threatened by the United States, the European Union has announced countermeasures but has so far failed to implement them, according to Dr. Joachim Weber. Although Europe refrained from imposing additional punitive tariffs in connection with Greenland, the referral of the Mercosur agreement to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) sent a fatal signal to the international community. Europe, Weber argued, needs new partners to counterbalance the United States as a trade and security actor. Such decisions, however, risk alienating potential partners. He was particularly critical of centrist parties that supported the referral, arguing that the EU thereby signaled both a lack of will and a lack of capacity. The potential failure of Mercosur, he noted, has been met with open satisfaction in Russia, China, and the United States.
Weber further emphasized the growing destructive impact of U.S. policy on NATO. According to his assessment, the United States aims to isolate European states in order to pressure them into disadvantageous agreements.
To counter this trend, European unity is essential. Core states must establish viable defense policy structures. A major challenge, Weber argued, lies in the fact that Europe has lived in dependence on the United States for roughly three decades and must now relearn large parts of its foreign and security policy. Only through a clear and common strategy can European states safeguard their interests and position themselves more independently vis-à-vis American pressure.