Europe is heading for dark waters, and its leaders are dozing at the tiller

Democrats fear Joe Biden is sleepwalking to disaster in a November rematch with Donald Trump. Tories level similar criticism at dozy Rishi Sunak as Labour dreams of an autumn landslide. But for a truly world-beating slumber party, EU leaders take the bedtime biscuit.

- Simon Tisdall

The way it's going, 2024 could turn into a nightmare for the 27-country bloc - an all-time annus horribilis. A daunting slew of challenges is coming to a head. Is the EU ready to meet them? Definitely not.

Take the crisis in the Red Sea. Iran-backed Houthi militants have been attacking shipping there since the Israel-Hamas war began. Citing threats to global trade and free navigation, the US and the UK struck back last month in Operation Prosperity Guardian - on their own.

The EU has an important stake in this fight. About 40% of its Asia and Middle East trade moves via Suez. But only the Netherlands provided hands-on assistance. Germany offered support - in a written statement. France, Italy and Spain ducked out. The excuse is that the EU plans to launch its own Red Sea mission. Yet foreign ministers have put off a decision until 19 February. The good news is that Belgium may send a frigate.

This sorry saga exposes some familiar EU singularities: ambivalence about following America's lead, fear of getting into a war and, in this case, worry about siding with Israel. Snoozing at the tiller, Europe is again failing to pair its self-interest and aspirations as a global actor with timely, concrete, joined-up action.