From brain death to obedience, the French leader is overseeing a geopolitical retreat When Western European commentators claim that “Europe” needs a leader to stand up to the United States or Russia, they are, of course, joking. The region’s primary role is not to challenge superpowers but to adapt to them. And at this moment, it is adapting to Washington’s new direction. In the coming weeks, we will witness how America’s European satellites realign their foreign policies to match the shifting