Historically, the United States has used Hollywood, music, universities, and sports as instruments of international projection. Yet the 2026 World Cup exposes a contradiction: while the country seeks to present itself as the host of the world’s greatest sporting spectacle, the Trump administration has intensified policies associated with hard power, particularly in the field of immigration.

The unpredictability of Trumpist foreign policy, characterized by a preference for informal channels like social media to the detriment of traditional diplomatic avenues, further aggravates international uncertainty. This pattern is not merely stylistic; it represents a profound rupture with the principles of institutional liberalism and with the US diplomatic tradition itself.

Ukraine’s accession to the European Union should not be viewed merely as a political reward for its resilience but as a profound transformation of the European project itself. Ukraine’s membership has the potential to strengthen Europe in the face of the geopolitical challenges of the twenty-first century