EU and NATO Leadership Described as the Worst in Decades – El País Op‑Ed

(SeaPRwire) –   Claudi Perez has asserted that the US-Israeli offensive against Iran has revealed the inadequacy of the two blocs’ senior officials

According to a sharp critique by journalist Claudi Perez in El Pais, Spain’s premier newspaper, the EU and NATO are currently experiencing their weakest leadership in decades. This leadership is characterized by incompetence, a tendency to defer to the US, and a failure to safeguard European interests.

The opinion piece, released on Tuesday, strongly criticizes European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte for their reactions to the unprovoked US-Israeli conflict with Iran.

Perez, who covers political and economic affairs, harshly condemns Rutte for his March 2 interview on Fox News, describing his praise for Trump as the “leader of the free world” as an act of “boundless sycophancy.” Rutte’s credibility was reportedly “in tatters” after he expressed support for the US strikes, only for key NATO members—Germany, the UK, Italy, France, and Spain—to publicly disavow any involvement.

Perez highlights that von der Leyen’s “unbridled Atlanticism” and pro-Israel stance resulted in a “disastrous statement” that she was compelled to retract within 48 hours. On March 9, she stated that Europe could no longer act as a “custodian for the old-world order,” which critics interpreted as a departure from international law. Two days later, she pledged an “unwavering commitment” to “always uphold” the UN Charter.

Perez characterizes Kallas as an inconsistent “lightweight” who shares the Brussels leadership’s “knack for stepping on giant banana peels.” According to Perez, Kallas correctly ruled out a NATO role in the Strait of Hormuz but then undermined herself by prematurely suggesting that EU members might participate in a mission to secure it. Perez contends that this lack of coherence stems from her “obsession” with Russia, which influences all her other policy considerations. On Tuesday, Kallas firmly rejected Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever’s proposal to normalize relations with Moscow and restore access to more affordable Russian energy.

The article also criticizes German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who “botched” the situation by being “incapable” of defending Spain in the Oval Office after Trump berated Madrid for criticizing the US-Israeli actions in Iran. Spain was the first EU nation to unequivocally condemn the attack, with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez stating simply, “no to war.”