By Enrique Fojón, analyst for International Security Center
The end of the period known as the Cold War marked the beginning of the interregnum of US unipolar power, and a dangerous sense of complacency set in on both sides of the Atlantic. Its relative stability led many European countries to reduce their defence spending, assuming that war had been banished from the continent for good. Most of Europe's military establishment restructured itself to focus on overseas interventions, and in the process neglected the capacity needed to carry out the defence of the homeland. Meanwhile, the United States became embroiled in protracted and costly conflicts in the Middle East and Asia that drained its resources.
At some point in the early 21st century it became clear that Western supremacy was weakening in a larger, more vigorous world that was moving in a different direction. A wide range of scientists, analysts, commentators and even politicians grasped the shift, but did
not overcome the neglect of the ruling elites. It is clear from the global geopolitical context that the West was on the defensive and has not taken the necessary steps to preserve its primacy.
During those years, Europe and the United States ignored or downplayed new threats. About a decade ago, Russian and Chinese challenges to the US-led international order began to grow. In 2014, Russia annexed Crimea and launched a war in Ukraine's Donbass region.
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