CUNEF Universidad’s Professorship of Exemplarity analyses global geopolitics from a European perspective

Last Monday, 16 February, Javier Gomá, Chair of Exemplarity at CUNEF Universidad, organised a roundtable discussion with Ignacio Molina, Senior Researcher at the Elcano Royal Institute and Professor in the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. The discussion, “Geopolitics from a European perspective”, was held in the Auditorium of the Almansa Campus. It was structured broadly in three blocks— the world, Europe and Spain—and the speakers talked, among other issues, about major changes in international politics, the role of the United States in NATO, the war in Ukraine and the strategic challenges faced by the European Union. 

During the first block, which focused on US-EU relations, Molina pointed out that, historically, transatlantic relationships have been more complex than we tend to remember. He stressed that the US has only been closely allied to Europe for one third of its 250 years of history, mainly between 1945 and 2016. In his opinion, the current political stage creates a scenario of greater strategic autonomy for the EU. Although NATO’s military structure remains operational, the possibility of Washington reducing its involvement forces Europe to take more responsibility for its own security, especially in the context of the war in Ukraine and the uncertainty regarding a possible invasion of NATO member countries. 

The discussion also addressed Europe’s role in the new world order, marked by competition between powers and by the triple definition of China as a partner, competitor and systemic rival. Molina noted that Europe is no longer the centre of the world in terms of GDP, military power or population, but it does still have an enormous cultural, scientific and regulatory capacity. The key is not to recover lost dominance, but to use its influence in a multipolar world. In this context, events like Brexit, interpreted as a generational divide and distrust of the elites, highlight the internal cohesion challenges faced by the European project.

At a national level, Ignacio Molina stressed that this new international scenario could bring on strategic opportunities for Spain. In this sense, he highlighted several competitive advantages, including Spain’s projection towards Latin America, its geographical border and relationships with the Arab world, and its role in the negotiation of trade agreements, such as Mercosur. This is why he considers that , to achieve its security, prosperity and coexistence objectives, Spain should strengthen foreign trade and implement strategies like friendshoring—shifting supply chains to allied and stable nations—and a less polarised foreign policy. In a “less comfortable and more uncertain world than in the ‘90s”, the conversation concluded with a call on Europe to use its ability to transform geopolitical challenges into opportunities for increased institutional and strategic strength.