With the US’ traditional allies now part of the buffet, this seismic development begs a question: Is the West worth saving and can it be? So, no, the West does not stretch back to ancient Greece, because the ancient Greeks never mentioned it, or conceived of it. “Don’t leave it to them,” Varouxakis told me, as we discussed the Trump administration’s assaults on Europe. The first recorded articulations of the West as a political identity came around the time of the 1821 to 1829 Greek War of Independence, Varouxakis told me. Marc Champion is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Europe, Russia and the Middle East.

Source: Taipei Times January 03, 2026 18:00 UTC