Aliona Hlivco on Europe’s Strategic Wake-Up Call in Politico

This week, Founder & CEO Aliona Hlivco contributed a timely comment to Politico on how recent shifts in U.S. policy are forcing Europe to rethink its approach to defence, strategic autonomy, and the transatlantic relationship.

In the context of a growing debate around the so-called “Trump effect” — where U.S. domestic politics and a new U.S. National Security Strategy have unsettled Europe’s traditional security assumptions — Hlivco argued that Europe can no longer rely on outdated strategic postures. Instead, she emphasised that the continent must transition from the slow, cumbersome “aircraft-carrier” mentality to one resembling a maritime drone: fast, agile and capable of precise action in a fast-moving geopolitical landscape.

Her comment underscores a broader narrative in European capitals: that recent shifts in U.S. rhetoric and policy have highlighted the urgent need for European strategic autonomy and deeper defence integration, even as political consensus remains fragile. European leaders are grappling with balancing transatlantic ties while also asserting greater capacity to act independently — a conversation that has accelerated amid criticism from Washington that Europe is “weak” and overly dependent on U.S. security guarantees.

Hlivco’s contribution comes at a moment when discussions in Brussels and national capitals are intensifying about how Europe should adapt to unpredictable global dynamics and reinforce its role as a sovereign strategic actor.

https://www.politico.eu/article/the-trump-effect-how-one-mans-politics-rewired-europe/