When will the EU punch its weight in a perilous world? That’s the question countries eager to join should be asking | Simon Tisdall
Tisdall argues that Trump and Russia are pushing northern Europeans closer to the EU, but the bloc’s clumsy institutions still undercut its appeal.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
The article says renewed interest in EU membership is being driven less by idealism than by fear: Trump’s pressure on Greenland and Russian interference in the far north. But it also argues the EU must fix its cumbersome, rule-bound structure if it wants to look like a serious power.
Some smaller places near the top of the world are thinking about joining the EU because the world feels less safe. A strong club can feel like a bigger umbrella in a storm.
The article says Donald Trump’s talk about taking Greenland and worries about Russian meddling are making people nervous. That is helping the EU look more useful, even to places that used to stay away.
But the EU has a problem too. It can look slow and messy, like a big school club that spends too much time arguing about rules. The story says it needs to act stronger if it wants more countries to trust it.
Analysis
What is changing
Simon Tisdall argues that the EU is becoming more attractive to countries on Europe’s northern fringe because the strategic environment has worsened. Iceland is set to hold a referendum in August on resuming accession talks, Norway’s conservative opposition now wants membership, and Faroe Islanders are reportedly rethinking independence from Denmark and the EU.
Why the appeal is growing
The article ties this shift to two pressures. First is Donald Trump’s aggression toward Greenland, which he has threatened to annex and which has made people in the region more wary of relying on the United States for security. Second is the fear of Russian interference, which Iceland’s foreign minister warned could affect the referendum. Tisdall says these developments are pushing smaller places to see value in joining large multilateral blocs.
The EU’s problem
The piece also says the EU still makes itself look weak and ridiculous. Tisdall points to the expensive Strasbourg-Brussels commute, the controversy over EU commissioners’ electric vehicles, and the broader fact that the bloc remains tied to treaty obligations and national prestige projects that are hard to change. His argument is that the EU’s appeal is rising because the world is more dangerous, but its own institutions still do not project the kind of efficiency or power that new members might expect.
Political backdrop
The article widens the lens to Britain, saying Brexit is still haunting politics and that renewed arguments over Europe are shaping a by-election in Makerfield. The core point is that the EU’s geopolitical relevance is rising, but its institutional credibility still needs work if it wants to “punch its weight.”
Key points
- Trump’s pressure on Greenland is making some northern Europeans more interested in the EU.
- Iceland will hold a referendum in August on resuming accession negotiations.
- Norway’s conservative opposition now wants the country to join the EU.
- The article says Russian interference could affect Iceland’s vote.
- Tisdall argues the EU must fix its clumsy institutions if it wants greater geopolitical weight.
