I remain endlessly fascinated by people’s reactions on social media during winter, observing a clear divide between two cultural approaches. On the one hand, Europeans find themselves paralyzed by two mere snowflakes — roads, train stations, and even airports grinding to a halt. On the other, North Americans, seasoned veterans of natural calamities, respond with a communal spirit where mutual aid often takes precedence.
Meanwhile, in Europe, some inquire who among them has yet to turn on the heating. To some, this question may seem curious, but it underscores a stark reality: in countries like France, energy prices have spiraled to absurd levels. This compels many to delay heating their homes as long as possible. Such disparities in living conditions from one corner of the planet to another often elude those who dream of Europe after a sun-drenched summer visit. Relocating there in the dead of winter reveals harsher truths: exorbitant energy costs, sky-high value-added taxes driving basic necessities out of reach for many, and a crumbling healthcare system where securing an appointment with a specialist can take months, sometimes over a year.
The European system, once a beacon of modernity, has become a mere shadow of its former self. The recent European elections have shuffled the political deck, yet only the blind could imagine Europe avoiding a war with Russia. Several factors point toward this inevitability: the conflict in Ukraine as a catalyst, the looming withdrawal of U.S. military support for Europe, and unmanageable poverty that has grown so pervasive as to become a systemic crisis. Add to this the credible threat of Russian aggression toward former Eastern Bloc nations. Stopping Putin has become an urgent necessity.
Yet, herein lies the dilemma. Outside of the United Kingdom and France, European military capabilities are underwhelming, hampered further by sluggish arms and missile production. Mounting any substantial counteroffensive against Russia seems fraught with logistical challenges. Politically, with concerted willpower, it might still be feasible to dismantle Russian military installations poised against European states. But therein lies Europe’s Achilles’ heel: political will. Fragmented by national interests, speaking no true common language — save for a passable form of English — and tilting dangerously towards far-right ideologies, Europe finds itself precariously aligned with a Russia it professes to oppose.
Nevertheless, Europe cannot continue to stand on the sidelines. Sending equipment and training personnel at arm’s length may soon become a relic of the past. Indeed, winter, ironically, offers an optimal window for aerial intervention, for instance.
This radical rightward shift in Western nations is poised to make life even harder for the most vulnerable, likely driving them to seek radically different alternatives. One can only hope such shifts restore some measure of stability to an increasingly volatile world.
In the meantime, take solace: winter brings rain, snow, and chill — perfectly normal in most parts of the globe. In others, like here, we switch on the fans by day.