Whether swooning over US president-elect Joe Biden, scolding Russia and Turkey or chastising China, EU leaders love the thrill of the global stage.
That is no surprise: international celebrity can be addictive. And there is much to admire in the EU's quest to act as the world's conscience.
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Shada Islam is an independent EU analyst and commentator who runs her own strategy and advisory company New Horizons Project.
Shada Islam is an independent EU analyst and commentator who runs her own strategy and advisory company New Horizons Project.