By Naomi Smith

Every day, they defend their homes, their sovereignty and, whether we choose to acknowledge it or not, the security of the entire European continent.

Their struggle is not some distant conflict; it is the frontline of our collective defence against Vladimir Putin’s revanchist aggression. And yet, at a moment when unity should be non-negotiable, Europe continues to trip over its own feet.

The latest example came last week with the collapse of talks over the UK’s participation in the EU’s flagship defence instrument, the SAFE fund.

This was an opportunity for Europe to demonstrate strategic maturity - a chance to put security collaboration ahead of institutional turf wars and bureaucratic rigidity. Instead, the moment was squandered.

That failure lands at a particularly dangerous time. Donald Trump’s return to the White House has already emboldened Moscow, and reports of Trump placing Zelenskyy under intense pressure........

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