Former EU Commissioner Warns Europe Faces Collapse Without Strategic Autonomy
Europe risks collapse unless it strengthens its strategic autonomy, former European Union Commissioner Dimitris Avramopulos said at a conference in Istanbul on Mediterranean security.
Speaking at a panel titled “Beyond Tension: Rebuilding Strategic Balance in the Eastern Mediterranean,” Avramopulos said Europe faces an existential choice over its future direction, warning that the bloc cannot survive without completing the “European project” through common defense and foreign policies.
Avramopulos stressed that regional countries in the Eastern Mediterranean must take control of their own destiny rather than relying on external powers, amid disputes over energy, security and maritime boundaries.
Addressing EU–Türkiye–Greece relations, he called for institutionalized mechanisms to reduce tensions, including permanent communication channels, incident-prevention protocols and confidence-building measures. He warned that aggressive rhetoric risks undermining dialogue and urged the EU to adopt a more practical approach toward Türkiye.
Avramopulos also said the Gaza conflict remains a critical test for the Mediterranean region, emphasizing the need for security for Israel alongside a credible political and humanitarian horizon for Palestinians.
