Analysis: This was Europe’s watershed year

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen prepares to deliver a statement on the marketing authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against Covid-19 on Monday. Coronavirus has compounded all the other longer-term challenges Europe faces. Photo: Johanna Geron

In 2020, people around the world experienced life in slow motion, even as political developments accelerated. For the European Union, navigating the Covid-19 crisis has been challenging; yet, despite much naysaying, Europeans not only stuck together, but grew together, forging a more cohesive bloc. 

In 2021, global cooperation ought to make a strong comeback, and the EU should continue to pursue “strategic autonomy” so that it can safeguard its citizens and interests in the years and decades ahead.