China or Russia might be betting on the wrong horse in Ukraine and Europe. They overlook the complexity and depth of the US relationship with its allies. The new Hannibal bet.

October 14 could be a pivotal moment for Europe and America. SpaceX abruptly imposed a speed cap on Ukraine’s Starshield service without warning Kyiv, disrupting many battlefield operations, including mid-range drone strikes and air defense. The US platform Starshield had been vital in coordinating and spotting Russian targets for Ukrainian attacks.

Only a few days later, after a wave of protests in America and Europe, the service was basically restored, and in Washington, officials blamed each other for ordering the disruption. The episode could be a turning point in transatlantic relations. It shows a large majority in both America and Europe supports Ukraine, while some opposition parties in Europe and parts of President Donald Trump’s administration are lukewarm about Kyiv.

Brynn Tannehill argues that:

“The Starshield decision was likely meant to pressure Ukraine into complying with US.

The Alternative for Germany Party has caught the attention of some U.S. Republicans, who are exploring the prospect of a Western cultural hegemony.

On Monday, October 19, Marc Bernhard, a representative of the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) at the German Bundestag, will deliver a speech on «Mass Migration and the Future of the West» at Georgetown University in Washington, at the invitation of the College Republicans. Repressive policies toward immigrants and widespread forced repatriation—often without the required legal protections, even in cases of illegal status—are common ground between the two parties on either side of the Atlantic.

However, their similarities are not limited to this. They also share a vision of governing the nation through the use of force, relying on police and military, and both nations desire to distance themselves from political and legal constraints imposed by international organizations that would dilute their pride.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio made this clear in his speech at the Acropolis in Athens, a site symbolic of European culture: «The thumos, as the ancient Greeks called it – the fire.