Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever told a World Economic Forum panel that the European Union’s appeal lies in its commitment to the rule of law and soft power, contrasting it with other global powers that do not attract voluntary membership.
During the session “Redefining Europe’s Place in the World,” De Wever said: “No neighbor of the United States says, ‘We want to join the United States.’ Nobody wants to.”
He continued: “People want to join the European Union. Nobody wants to join China. They want to join the European Union just because we have respect. We have the rule of law. We do speak softly.”
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever:
— Clash Report (@clashreport) January 20, 2026
People want to join the European Union. Nobody wants to join China. No neighbor of the United States says, “We want to join the United States.” Nobody wants to.
They want to join the European Union just because we have respect. We have the… pic.twitter.com/pBskfl8Ocf
The 45-minute panel, developed in collaboration with the Financial Times and moderated by Gideon Rachman, featured De Wever alongside Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, Mistral AI CEO Arthur Mensch, and French Treasury Director General Marguerite Bérard. Discussions focused on Europe’s strategic autonomy, enlargement, global competition, and the state of transatlantic relations amid shifting geopolitical dynamics.
De Wever stressed the importance of Western cohesion, stating: “The West is not united, but Putin sees that we are divided.” He reflected on the 1980s, when “the West stood for something: sovereignty, democracy, freedom,” and questioned scenarios where the United States might refrain from supporting democracies against authoritarian regimes.
Quoting Italian philosopher Antonio Gramsci, De Wever warned: “The old world is dying, and the new world struggles to be born: now is the time of monsters. It is up to Trump to decide whether he wants to be a monster or not.”
He called for Europe to shoulder greater responsibility for its own security and prosperity, noting: “Europe must now wake up and take responsibility for building its own prosperity, as the US has shifted its strategic focus toward the Pacific—a change that would persist beyond Trump.”
The remarks were made amid renewed transatlantic tensions following President Trump’s threats of tariffs on European allies opposing U.S. efforts to acquire Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory. Trump has repeatedly described Greenland as essential for U.S. national security and has not ruled out military options, according to Reuters. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, speaking separately at the forum, called for a “new independent Europe” in response to U.S. trade pressures and broader geopolitical shifts, CityNews Toronto reported.
