Brent Scowcroft Center Resident Fellow Erik Brattberg writes for the Huffington Post on Europe’s security environment:
Europe is currently facing its most alarming security environment in decades. With the return of old fashioned hard power aggression on its eastern flank and the spread of terrorism, instability and failed states at its southern doorstep, Europe is now stuck in a geopolitical perfect storm. What’s worse: unless Europe can finally get its act together to respond to these threats in a strategic and comprehensive way, they will continue to fester for generations.
The invasion of Crimea by Russia in February was indeed a wakeup call for many Europeans. For far too long, many Europeans ignored the worrying signs coming from Moscow, favoring instead to maintain a business-as-usual relationship with Putin. Warnings from the Baltic countries and Poland about Russia were often met with indifference and skepticism in Western European capitals. And despite much talk, progress on energy security in Europe has been very slow.