DID Press: The war involving Iran has highlighted a major shift in the global balance of power, with Foreign Policy arguing that European countries are no longer “great powers” and have increasingly become middle powers on the international stage.
The report states that Europe failed to prevent the outbreak of major conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza and Iran, played a limited role in containing their escalation, and was less active diplomatically than middle powers such as Turkey, Qatar, Oman and Pakistan.
According to the analysis, Gulf countries have also drawn lessons from recent crises, realizing that complete reliance on the United States does not guarantee absolute security. As a result, they are seeking to diversify their defense and political partnerships.
The article concludes that Europe’s future role may no longer be centered on global leadership but rather on cooperation with middle powers to manage competition among major powers and address international crises.