Europe Faces 4 Crises as Iran, Ukraine Wars Test Control of Its Fate

1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 6

Europe is confronting four overlapping shocks—Iran and Ukraine wars, wildfires and a migration flare-up—that are exposing how little control the bloc has over key security, energy and political risks.
The Iran war, which many European governments opposed, has already pushed up fuel, grocery and travel costs, while leaders expect to learn the conflict’s next turn largely from Washington rather than shape it themselves.
More than four years into the Ukraine war, Europe still has not resolved the conflict, even as record heat and active wildfires add pressure to food supplies, inflation and public anxiety.
A sudden surge across the Moroccan border into a Spanish exclave—most arrivals were quickly returned—has revived migration tensions that could deepen splits among EU leaders and aid the far right.
The back-to-back crises are driving emergency calls for joint action, but they also underline a broader problem: Europe’s emissions cuts, AI ambitions and security agenda remain heavily influenced by decisions made elsewhere.