Since the beginning of the year, I have been preoccupied with the world situation – and the question: What is the right thing to do in these times? We can’t all be doing business as usual when so many things are overlapping at the same time. What skills should we develop as a society as quickly as possible? How do we get there – beyond day-to-day political or even party political considerations? I have been thinking about this for weeks – and I would like to take all interested readers with me on this search for clues, without slipping into the minutiae of daily politics or even evaluations.
What is it about?
The first six weeks of Donald Trump’s second term as US President are now behind us, and the impact on Europe is already clearly noticeable. What we feared has come true: Transatlantic relations are facing their biggest challenge since the Second World War. This is our “Sputnik moment” – a wake-up call that forces us to fundamentally rethink and strengthen our defense, research and capabilities.
Sputnik? What was that again?
Sputnik is considered a turning point in the history of US technology and education. On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, into orbit. This inconspicuous satellite, no larger than 58 cm in diameter and weighing just 83 kg, caused a shock in the United States and the Western world, which went down in history as the “Sputnik crisis”.
Sputnik 1 orbited the earth at a speed of around 29,000 km/h, emitting a characteristic “beep-beep-beep” signal that could be received by amateur radio operators all over the world. These beeps were more than just a technical signal – they were a wake-up call for a nation, namely the USA, which suddenly found itself lagging behind technologically.
The successful launch of Sputnik not only demonstrated the Soviet Union’s advanced capabilities in rocket technology, but also implied a potential military threat. If the Soviets could put a satellite into orbit, it was feared, they might also be able to launch intercontinental ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads.
The immediate reaction in the USA was a mixture of shock, admiration and fear. President Eisenhower described the public reaction as a “wave of hysteria”. This moment of surprise and apprehension became the catalyst for far-reaching changes in American society, particularly in the areas of education, science and technology.
The “Sputnik moment” led to a massive reorientation of American research and education policy. Within a few months, the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), now known as DARPA, was founded. This agency was to ensure that the USA would never again be caught off guard by technological surprises. At the same time, the National Defense Education Act was passed, pumping billions of dollars into the promotion of science and technology in American schools and universities.
The lessons of the Sputnik moment are more relevant today than ever. At a time when we in Europe are facing new global challenges and technological revolutions, perhaps we can learn from the USA’s determined and visionary response to Sputnik. It is about seeing crises as opportunities, investing in education and research and boldly breaking new ground.
But why should Europe go through a Sputnik shock now? Let’s summarize briefly.
Today: the shocking reality
In just six weeks, President Trump has taken a series of measures that pose enormous challenges for Europe:
- Threat to leave NATO: Trump has once again threatened to withdraw the USA from NATO, which fundamentally calls into question Europe’s security architecture.
- Controversial deal with Russia: The Trump administration has announced a plan to cooperate with Russia for a ceasefire in Ukraine, with Trump emphasizing his trust in President Putin – a stance that is met with great skepticism in Europe.
- Economic pressure: The introduction of 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports has put a considerable strain on trade relations with Europe.
- Calling international agreements into question: The renewed withdrawal of the USA from the Paris Climate Agreement and the repeal of numerous Biden-era climate protection measures are calling global efforts to combat climate change into question.
- Domestic political turbulence: Trump’s controversial decisions, such as pardoning those involved in the Capitol riot, have further shaken confidence in American democracy.
And who knows what else will be announced tonight before the congress …
Europe’s response: first steps towards independence
The EU reacted quickly to strengthen its position and reduce its dependence on the USA:
- Increased defense initiatives: EU leaders are preparing concrete measures to massively increase defense funding in order to promote European strategic autonomy.
- Trade policy countermeasures: The EU has taken a firm stance against unjustified tariffs and is considering the use of its new Anti-Compulsory Instrument (ACI).
- Multilateral cooperation: Europe is stepping up its efforts to maintain the rules-based multilateral trading system and drive forward reforms to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
- Climate policy leadership: The EU reaffirms its commitment to the Paris Agreement and its leadership role in global climate protection.
- Geopolitical realignment: European leaders show solidarity with Ukraine and look for ways to ensure European security independently of the USA.
The way forward: Europe’s opportunity for renewal
This crisis offers Europe the opportunity to reinvent itself and strengthen its position in the world. So what it could be heading towards:
- Further expand and modernize our defense capabilities.
- Invest in research and development, especially in key technologies.
- Create a European version of DARPA to promote breakthrough innovation.
- Advancing Europe’s technological independence.
- Diversify our diplomatic and economic relations worldwide.
So: Brave ahead!
The first six weeks of Trump’s second term have shown us that we can no longer rely on external forces to ensure our security and societal prosperity (despite all the income disparities). This is hopefully our Sputnik moment – an opportunity to make Europe stronger, more independent and more innovative.
In the coming weeks, I will dive deeper into the topics of defense, research and skill-building in this blog series and explore how we as Europe can learn from the US experience while finding our own way.
Stay tuned!
* Featured photo: CC BY 2.0 Giuseppe Milo (www.pixael.com): Bridge America Europe – Iceland – Black and white photography – via Flickr