On Saturday, Europe Day marks the anniversary of the 1950 Schuman Declaration, the foundation of the modern EU, a political project built on interdependence rather than rivalry, on law rather than force and on partnerships rather than fragmentation. It is not a commemoration, it is a reminder that, in today’s rapidly shifting world, partnerships matter more than ever.

Today’s world is at a crossroads. The Iranian crisis is not merely a regional one. It is a warning sign of deeper global changes that will spare no one and reach far beyond energy markets. We have entered an unprecedented era of upheaval. Transformative technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing and biotechnology are reshaping economies and societies. Global challenges including climate disruption, pandemics and food and energy insecurity are testing our collective resilience. Major crises, from Russia’s aggression against Ukraine to the current critical situation in the Gulf region, put growing strain on the rules-based international system, where the fundamental question is increasingly whether might will prevail over right.

Parts of these changes are positive — innovation is accelerating medical breakthroughs, expanding access to knowledge and opening new economic frontiers. Societies are more connected than ever. But other parts are dangerous — fragmentation, instability and the erosion of international........

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