Glenn Diesen - Greater Eurasia Podcast Alastair Crooke: Europe Is Betting Everything on the Ukraine War
Dec 13, 2025
Alastair Crooke, a former British diplomat and founder of Conflicts Forum, delves into Europe’s deep commitment to the Ukraine conflict. He argues that Europe risks losing its legitimacy, security, and economic stability by betting everything on a proxy war. Crooke discusses how a moral narrative against autocracy shapes this stance and critiques Europe’s bellicose rhetoric. He warns of a potential economic crisis and cautions about Europe’s limited military capabilities. Ultimately, he highlights the precarious balance between deterrence and diplomacy amidst rising tensions.
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Identity Found In Moral Narrative
- European elites adopted a Manichaean narrative of light versus dark to fill an identity void.
- That narrative bonded the EU around Ukraine as a unifying moral project.
US Strategy Shakes European Consensus
- The US National Security Strategy undercut Europe's Manichean unity by prioritizing stability with Russia.
- That left European elites bereft of the identity and legitimacy they had relied on.
Defense Spending Won’t Rescue Growth
- European leaders shifted from green transition to heavy defense spending as an economic plan.
- Crooke argues this militarized spending won't deliver broad economic welfare or jobs for ordinary people.