03 January 2026, 17:41

Kedmi: Europe shifts toward a ‘national interest’ foundation

Yakov Kedmi [Screengrab/BelTA]

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MINSK, 3 January (BelTA) – Some European nations are increasingly prioritizing their own national interests, political analyst, military expert, and former Israeli statesman Yakov Kedmi said in the latest episode of the V Teme [On Point] project on BelTA’s YouTube channel.

“European countries are increasingly focusing on their national interests and beginning to assess whether they are aligned or not with the interests of other states. The national interests of European states are beginning to play an increasingly important role,” Yakov Kedmi said. “This has already manifested itself even in the Czech Republic, is taking shape in Bulgaria, and it almost happened in Romania. When countries start acting based on their national interests, the world will be completely different; there will be no place for wars and provocations.”

In his opinion, only a handful of European countries can influence decision-making in international relations. Yakov Kedmi named Germany as one such power. “Have you forgotten what Europe was called at the beginning of the 21st century? The Fourth Reich. Because everything was under the control of Germany and the German economy, which was powered by Russian energy resources. But Germany might cease to exist. Before Bismarck, there was no unified Germany. Who’s to say this won’t happen again tomorrow?” he stated.

Yakov Kedmi pointed to another influential European state, France. “Its own nuclear weapons, its own aircraft, its own missiles, a relatively good military industry. No one in Europe has this,” he said.

Furthermore, he noted that NATO headquarters was once located in Paris. The decision to move it out of France was made by Charles de Gaulle. “Why did he do it? He decided it was in France’s national interests. Who’s to say that if tomorrow France had a leadership like the U.S. or Hungary, this wouldn’t happen again? And what would NATO be without France? Absolutely nothing,” the expert asserted.