Luxembourg’s Deputy Prime Minister said that the country members of the European Union must learn to stand on its own feet economically, industrially, and militarily rather than remaining dependent on the United States, China, or Russia.
According to a report made by Anadolu English on Sunday, 19 April, 2026, Luxembourg’s Deputy Prime Minister Xavier Bettel in an interview with Anadolu on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, argued that recent global shocks from pandemic supply shortages to the war in Ukraine have exposed the risks of over-reliance on external partners.
He also said the European Union has been vulnerable across multiple fronts in recent years, saying “If we check, the European Union has been dependent on a lot of things: Russian gas, security from the United States, and even masks during the COVID period from China.”
The Deputy Foreign Minister also stressed that while partnerships remain vital, dependency is dangerous, stating “It is important that Europe learns that it is important to have partnerships, but it is terrible if you are dependent on someone.”
Xavier Bettel went further to identified comments made by US Vice President JD Vance in Munich as a turning point in European thinking, saying “We were always thinking it was granted that the Americans would be the defenders of Europe because of NATO.”
He also described Vance’s remarks as a bit of a wake-up call, adding that Europe must be ready to defend ourselves, be stronger with partners, but also ready for the moment we might not have them, at the same time clarifying that strategic autonomy does not mean abandoning alliances, but rather ensuring the capacity to act independently when necessary.
Regarding the ongoing tensions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, Bettel argued that major military decisions should be made collectively within NATO and the EU, noting that Washington and Tel Aviv initiated recent attacks on Tehran, adding that allies cannot be expected to clean up consequences they were not consulted on.
He also said “When you decide something, you cannot afterwards say others have to solve the problem. I would prefer to be involved since the beginning, so we would mke decisions together.”
