As Europe’s power shrinks, its fear is growing – and the result is huge mistakes | Nathalie Tocci

Scared of Ukraine losing and scared of Russia being beaten, of migrants, Gaza and Trump, the EU is making poor choices at home and abroad

Europe no longer wields the power it once did in world affairs, when there was a liberal international order that hinged on US power and in which international cooperation flourished. In that world, Europe was not a superpower, but the hallmarks of the post-cold war era - multilateralism, regional cooperation, interdependence, the flourishing of democracy, soft power and free trade - were also insignia of the European Union.

Today we are in a post-post-cold war era and the world has changed direction. Some features of the old system live on. But contrasting forces such as nationalism, protectionism and unilateralism are all on the rise.

Nathalie Tocci is a Guardian Europe columnist

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