Mark Landler

while the weak suffer what they must.

And I think, in essence, what we're seeing over the last few weeks most vividly, but it really has been the story of Trump's second term, is putting that ancient idea into practice.

He really does see three major factors

traditional great powers dividing up the spoils, the United States, Russia, and China.

And Europe unhappily finds itself wedged uncomfortably between two of those major great powers, but without some of the key ingredients, the key weapons that make one a great power, it has to kind of navigate this rather

dangerous and unfriendly world, making partnerships and alliances where it can.

And yet at the same time, I think we need to be careful not to indulge in too much declinism.

The Europeans do have a future.

It's a future that will require them to make some difficult choices, but will give them a chance to become every bit as big a sphere of influence as some of these others.

After all, remember, Russia is

for all of its saber-rattling, is in many ways a weak country.

Yeah, bully for them.

It seems like, in a sense, this was the best scenario that one could have imagined for this situation.

And it's also a reminder that Europe is, for all its weaknesses, still a player.

They can still find ways to fend off the worst threats.

They have massive economies, an educated workforce, diplomatic soft power, powerful cultural values.

In this new global order that Donald Trump is creating, in this great global game, I think writing off Europe today would be as big a mistake as it would have been 200 years ago.

Thank you, Natalie.

European leaders wrapped their arms around Zelensky. You know, it was his first chance after the very bad meeting with Donald Trump to see them in person. And so there were a lot of expressions of support. Mark Landler is the Times bureau chief in London. Keir Starmer had sort of two goals with this meeting. One was to prevent an irreparable rift in the transatlantic alliance.

European leaders wrapped their arms around Zelensky. You know, it was his first chance after the very bad meeting with Donald Trump to see them in person. And so there were a lot of expressions of support. Mark Landler is the Times bureau chief in London. Keir Starmer had sort of two goals with this meeting. One was to prevent an irreparable rift in the transatlantic alliance.