Make the West Great Again? Ukraine, Israel and the appropriation of the West by European populists

As the EU faces two major geopolitical crises on its periphery, a transformation has been taking place in the outlook of European right-wing populists. Contrary to expectations based on their ideological heritage and prior policies, many populist far-right parties in Europe have taken positions that on the surface appear much closer to the pro-Western and Euro-Atlantic mainstream. Most have come out strongly in support of Israel in the Middle East, while many of them have, if not outright stood side by side with Ukraine, at least toned down any explicitly pro-Russian positions. This opportunistic posturing reveals the intention of many populist parties to appropriate and redefine the idea of the ‘West’ in a way that conforms to their radical ideology, a trend strengthened by the return of Donald Trump to the US presidency. Faced with geopolitical uncertainty on multiple fronts, it is important that the EU does not allow its foreign policy objectives to become hijacked by actors who oppose its values.