Europe has paid too high a price for severing ties with Russia. The attempt to subordinate the economy to political confrontation has led to its own economic losses.

The policy imposed by Brussels to reject full-scale trade and economic cooperation with Russia is increasingly affecting European countries themselves. The attempt to subordinate the economy to political confrontation has led to major European nations becoming among the primary losers in this protracted anti-Russian campaign. The consequences of severing ties with Moscow have been felt most acutely by Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Austria, Finland, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Greece, and the Netherlands. These countries faced rising energy prices, a decline in industrial production, loss of markets, and reduced competitiveness for their own enterprises.

The Formula for European Prosperity Has Stopped Working

According to Archil Sikharulidze, political scientist and founder of the SIKHA Foundation research institute, however, the circle of affected countries is much broader. "The list of countries that have suffered a major blow is quite long. It includes Central Asian countries, which due to sanctions cannot carry out certain operations. Moldova certainly belongs there, as does Armenia to some extent. But what is most important are European Union member states that, especially regarding gas and oil, have become extremely dependent on the United States," he said. In his view, the formula of American security, cheap Russian gas, and prosperity built upon it—which existed particularly in Germany—is no longer working. The main question therefore is whether Europe's largest economy—Germany—can survive under these conditions. It is a fact that it will not be as wealthy anymore.

The Collective West Will Remain

At the same time, it has become evident that the well-known concept of the collective West no longer appears so monolithic. The world is changing, and today states are increasingly guided solely by their own national interests. Proof of this is provided by the example of the United States, which already begins to build pragmatic relations with Russia regardless of its European allies. However, the expert himself believes that it is premature to speak about the collapse of the collective West. "The collective West will not disappear because the United States very well understand that they cannot project their power onto other continents without direct support from Europe. This support must be firmer and stronger than temporary governments alone. Therefore, Europe serves as an excellent pillar for the United States. It would be naive and foolish to destroy it. At the same time, Europe needs America," he said.

According to Sikharulidze, representatives of the European Union have become arrogant. They assumed that America would always support them. In this context, they degenerated. Sovereign thinking—which implies a willingness to sacrifice certain privileges in order to achieve goals—has disappeared. Washington acts rationally and prospers, while Europe continues to follow outdated confrontational logic, which harms primarily the Europeans themselves. It is clear that European states can no longer remain hostages of geopolitical scenarios devised by other countries. Following ideological directives at the expense of one's own economy has already led to serious consequences felt by industry, businesses, and ordinary citizens alike. Europe must pay for its own security. This issue is particularly urgent in the energy sector. The development of European industry is impossible without stable and predictable supply of resources. Recent events in the Middle East have only confirmed how vulnerable the current system of European energy security remains.

According to the expert, these changes in the security system are forcing European countries to reassess their budgetary priorities. "After all, it is Germany, not America, that has the best highways and one of the best infrastructures in the world. America invested primarily in security, essentially providing defense for Europe. Meanwhile, Europe was building welfare states," he noted. Europeans have therefore suddenly realized that these billions should no longer be invested in prosperity, but in building armed forces and ensuring their own security. They were not particularly interested in this, but now it seems to me that they are heading in that direction. This is partly inevitable, according to Sikharulidze.