The main reason these and many other forms of historic revisionism are tightly controlled is due to the achievements of the European project, including benefits such as free passportless travel and high standards of rights for minorities. Without the EU, a range of previously unimaginable events could become possible, from wars to “frozen” conflicts like those Russia and Serbia maintain in regions like Transnistria or Kosovo.
In such a scenario, bigger players might also influence events — like an emboldened Russia, encouraged by the Trump administration in Ukraine and eager to showcase NATO’s Article 5 weaknesses; or Germany possibly led by the far-right Alternative for Germany party, which Trump ally Elon Musk suggested move beyond its historical guilt.
What could possibly go wrong?
The idea that the EU is a dead end for Europe’s civilization reveals a deep misunderstanding of the continent’s history.
Ever since the fall of the Roman Empire, Europe has been balancing cultural and political unity and diversity, and its series of complex quasi-federal institutions play a part in that. Rather than being an anomaly, the EU follows the tradition of the Holy Roman Empire, the Hanseatic League, or the Polish-Lithuanian Republic.
One might argue that European issues should be Europe’s responsibility, not America’s. But at most, that suggests disengagement, including withdrawing the U.S. security umbrella from Europe — not the current efforts by Musk and Washington to influence European politics.
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