Europe in a new era of great power

– what should we do?

On August 18, 2020, in the midst of a coup d'état in Mali, I was asked: "What should we do?” That question really sums up my entire career – and the core of this book.

After almost forty years in the Swedish Armed Forces and FMV with national and international efforts and strategic work, I try to understand what happens when the world changes. We live in a time where old truths are challenged, where great powers compete again and where Europe is forced to find its own role in an increasingly uncertain international system.

This is not a classic academic textbook. It is an analytical journey through geopolitics, military theory, and the history of ideas – from the ancient Greeks, through the Cold War to today's conflicts, supplemented by personal experiences. I argue that we in the West often make the same mistake: we start from how we want the world to be, instead of how it actually works.

Through analyses of the US, Russia and China, I present a possible path forward for Europe – a strategy I call COUPLE: Partner, Discourage, Relationship. To succeed, Europe must become stronger, more realistic and more confident in its actions.

This is a book for those of you who want to understand why the world looks the way it does – and what it takes to influence the future that is now being shaped!