Glenn Diesen - Greater Eurasia Podcast Gilbert Doctorow: The Dawn of Europe’s Century of Humiliation?
Sep 19, 2025
Gilbert Doctorow, a historian and international affairs analyst, delves into Europe's ongoing decline and its complex geopolitical landscape. He discusses leadership failures across the continent and the increasing dependence on the U.S. France's political fragility stems from unpopular policies and defense spending issues. Doctorow critiques EU centralization and suggests Europe could prosper by moving away from its reliance on a 'Russian boogeyman.' He also explores rising populism and the potential for a significant shift in European realism following battlefield outcomes.
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Leadership Vacuum And Engineered Power Loss
- Gilbert Doctorow argues European leadership displays low competence and political intelligence across most capitals.
- He says EU institutions were engineered to sacrifice national sovereignty, producing weak national leaders.
Ceding Sovereignty To Secure US Protection
- Doctorow says Europe has ceded its collective sovereignty to the United States to secure military backing against Russia.
- He links that surrender to major economic self-harm and loss of independent policy-making.
Domestic Politics Driving Geopolitical Fragility
- Doctorow highlights fragility in France, Germany and the UK largely due to domestic political struggles, not just geopolitics.
- He warns a no-confidence move could remove Ursula von der Leyen and reshape the Commission's tone toward Russia.
