Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1539233
15 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 7 SEPTEMBER 2025 NEWS show of force signals to the rest of the world cycles worldwide. Yet despite questions surrounding his policies, both Azzopardi Flores and Cassar agree that the Russia– China alignment has been long in the making. Cassar pointed out it was Trump who met both Putin and Kim Jong Un, stressing issues started well be- fore his presidency. While not denying certain controversial decisions tak- en by Trump, she voiced agreement with keeping a line of communication open with such nations. "I think we have to recognise there is a fine line between staying true to our values and princi- ples, but al- so ensuring c o m m u - n i c a t i o n is main- tained." She al- so pointed to the less hostile approach taken by China, compared to Europe and the US, throughout the Ukraine war. The two also referred to the long-standing US interest in Tai- wan, which pits Washington directly against Beijing. "The Indo-Pacific theatre is of the most interest to the US, and you can see strategies being implemented elsewhere like Ukraine as testbeds for what could happen in the event of an invasion of Taiwan," Flores said. He pointed to the 'porcupine strate- gy' adopted by the Ukrainians in their defence against Russian forces, which in turn was adapted from Taiwan. A porcupine strategy refers to a de- fence posture designed to make a smaller nation or force too costly and difficult for a larger adversary to attack or occupy. Rather than attempting to match the aggressor's power, the defending side focuses on asymmet- ric tactics, including mobile units, fortified positions, and widespread use of an- ti-access and area-denial weapons. The aim is to im- pose persistent resistance and attrition, much like a porcupine deters predators with its quills, there- by discouraging invasion or l o n g - t e r m occupation. What now for Europe? As the East grows closer, the q u e s t i o n of where Europe's place in the world lies looms ever larger. The dilemma deepens fur- ther with a Trump-led United States reshaping its alliance with Europe and NATO. "As the situation continues to unfold, I think the most compromised in all this is the EU," Azzopardi Flores said. The two experts both pointed to the post-Cold War trend of European na- tions becoming increasingly compla- cent in their dependence on the US for defence. He explained how after the Cold War, European countries chose to re- direct spending towards civilian prior- ities rather than defence. Cassar explained how NATO is seen by European nations as a way of keep- ing the US tied in for security – a sta- tus quo that has been challenged by the current US President in his threats of pulling out. But she said she does not see this happening anytime soon. "NATO is too embedded in US military culture." She also said the Russian invasion of Ukraine was a reality check for Europe, as the idea of a superpower invading another nation on the continent had seemed far-fetched. "It didn't cross our minds. Histor- ically, European nations' greatest threats have always been each other, and that changed after World War II. This benefitted everyone, and so to have this invasion on Europe's door- step was shocking," she said. Flores said the EU must remain a strong economic bloc if it is to survive, saying it has already learnt to adapt to a certain extent. "The EU has learnt its lesson that it must reduce its dependency on coun- tries outside the bloc for raw materi- als and energy. Europe knows the in- flation that struck it when Russia was sanctioned." What now for… Malta? As for Malta, the two experts agreed that the country must retain its histor- ical ties. Cassar said despite its small size, Malta's neutrality and position in the Mediterranean help it plays an impor- tant role in foreign policy. "We saw this just last December when Malta hosted the OSCE confer- ence," she said. Azzopardi Flores shared the senti- ment, saying that while Malta has to remain aligned with EU policy and di- rection, it must also maintain relation- ships with countries like China. He also called for better investment in cybersecurity, hybrid threats and infrastructure. "It didn't cross our minds. Historically, European nations' greatest threats have always been each other, and that changed after World War II. This benefitted everyone, and so to have this invasion on Europe's doorstep was shocking" - Valentina Cassar