There are moments in history when the future suddenly arrives—unexpected, uncompromising, and uninterested in our readiness. Charles de Gaulle would recognize the moment we are in today. He saw it coming, perhaps earlier and more clearly than most of his contemporaries. A world in which the United States and Russia do not merely oppose each other but find common ground in their indifference to Europe. A world in which NATO, once the unshakable foundation of transatlantic security, becomes an open question.
De Gaulle never trusted NATO. He understood its necessity during the Cold War but rejected its permanence. “France cannot delegate its defense to an organization where it does not have full control,” he declared in 1966 as he withdrew France from the alliance’s integrated command. He was not an isolationist; he was a strategist. He saw the future before it arrived and acted accordingly. His vision was not one of French nationalism alone but of a sovereign Europe, capable of defending itself, capable of standing apart from the superpower games of Washington and Moscow.
Europe’s Dependence on America is Over—But What Comes Next?
For decades, European security has rested on a simple assumption: The United States will always be there. That assumption has been the bedrock of European peace, allowing nations to invest in social programs instead of military budgets, to believe that diplomacy alone could keep threats at bay. But the world has changed.
Trump and his allies, particularly JD Vance, have made it clear: Europe can no longer take American protection for granted. In their eyes, NATO is not an alliance but an old contract they are eager to renegotiate. Their message to Europe is blunt: Stand on your own, or don’t stand at all.
De Gaulle would not be surprised. He would simply ask: Why are you only realizing this now?
From Words to Action—What De Gaulle Would Do Today
If de Gaulle were here today, he would not waste time with open letters or diplomatic appeals to Washington. He would do what he always did: act.
- Accelerate European Defense Integration
Europe has the economic strength to build its own security architecture. The problem is political will. De Gaulle would push for a European army—one that does not simply exist in white papers but in reality, with its own command structure, its own budget, its own nuclear deterrent independent of Washington. - Deepen Franco-German Defense Ties
The Élysée Treaty between France and Germany was de Gaulle’s greatest diplomatic success. He understood that Europe would never be strong without Paris and Berlin working as one. Today, that alliance must become more than symbolic—it must be the backbone of a European security doctrine. - Break Free from American Strategic Dependence
European leaders must stop treating Washington as the final authority on their own security. France remains the only EU country with nuclear weapons and a fully independent military strategy. That is not enough. If Europe is to be sovereign, nuclear deterrence must be shared, collective, and credible.
A Final Warning: The Hour is Late
De Gaulle knew that history does not wait for those who hesitate. Europe still has time, but not much. If it does not act now, it will become what it always feared—a bargaining chip in someone else’s game.
The world of the 21st century will not be one where Europe can afford to remain a passive observer, hoping for the best. It will either define its own path, or it will be defined by others.
De Gaulle’s question remains: Will Europe rise, or will it fade?
