The Foreign Desk Who will run the world if the US doesn’t want to anymore?
10 snips
Aug 23, 2025 
Gabrielius Landsbergus, former Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, joins Times columnist Edward Lucas and China Dialogue founder Isabel Hilton for a deep dive into the shifting global landscape. They discuss the U.S.'s retreat from its traditional role, prompting Europe to reconsider its defense mechanisms and ambitions. The conversation also touches on China's approach to global influence, emphasizing its different relationship dynamics compared to Western alliances. Together, they explore who might step in to fill the leadership void left by the U.S.
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Peak Of Western Power Around 2008
- The peak of American and Western power may have been around 2008 before the financial crisis.
- After overreach, Western leaders rolled back many ambitions, changing geopolitics for the next decade.
Deterrence Depends On US Will, Not Just Troops
- Lithuania's security relies heavily on an American deterrent rather than large US troop numbers.
- Europe could build missing systems like Patriot missiles if it chose to invest political will and money.
Pair Talk With A Credible Stick
- Europe must pair dialogue with credible military capability to confront modern threats.
- Move from talking to funding and building deterrent systems rather than assuming US backing forever.