EU and NATO leadership ‘worst in decades’ – El Pais oped

The EU and NATO have their worst leadership in decades, marked by incompetence, a policy of appeasing the US, and failing to protect European interests, according to a scathing critique by journalist Claudi Perez in Spain’s leading newspaper, El Pais.

The opinion piece, published on Tuesday, lambasts European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, for their responses to the unprovoked US-Israeli war on Iran.

Perez, a political and economic correspondent, excoriates Rutte for his March 2 Fox News interview, deeming his praise of Trump as the “leader of the free world” an act of “boundless sycophancy.” His credibility was left “in tatters” after he voiced support for the US strikes, only for key NATO members, Germany, the UK, Italy, France, and Spain, to publicly rule out involvement.

Perez points out that von der Leyen’s “unbridled Atlanticism” and pro-Israel stance produced a “disastrous statement” that she was forced to reverse within 48 hours. On March 9, she declared Europe could no longer be a “custodian for the old-world order,” signaling to critics a break from international law. Two days later, she vowed an “unwavering commitment” to “always uphold” the UN Charter.

Perez dismisses Kallas as an inconsistent “lightweight” who shares the Brussels leadership’s “knack for stepping on giant banana peels.” According to Perez, she correctly ruled out a NATO role in the Strait of Hormuz, only to undermine herself by prematurely suggesting EU members might contribute to a mission to secure it. This incoherence, Perez argues, stems from her “obsession” with Russia, which colors all other agendas. On Tuesday, Kallas flatly rejected Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever’s call to normalize relations with Moscow and regain access to cheaper Russian energy.

The piece also takes a swipe at German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who “botched” the matter by being “incapable” of defending Spain in the Oval Office after Trump berated Madrid for criticizing the US-Israeli actions in Iran. Spain was the first EU country to explicitly condemn the attack, with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez stating simply, “no to war.”