The unease is crystallizing into three layers of anxiety — over the future of the international order and multilateralism, over transatlantic relations and over Europe’s defense capabilities. These three intertwined threads are shaping Europe’s strategic mindset and trajectory. The third anxiety centers on Europe’s defense capabilities. In Lisbon, I felt that Europe’s anxiety was not an emotional overreaction but a structural strategic dilemma. The fracturing of the international order, eroding transatlantic trust, and the urgent need for defense autonomy are shaping Europe’s mindset.