Europe is a soft target. And it's under attack.

Targeted by Vladimir Putin's Russia, Xi Jinping's China and Donald Trump's America, Europe has a choice: Pull together, or be pulled apart

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PARIS • Imagine Europe as a target on a radar screen and you can see the warning alerts flashing red and ubiquitous. Europe is undergoing a multi-pronged, hybrid attack. The assailants do not coordinate and their goals may vary.

But what these flashing signs represent is clear: In the new great-power competition between the United States, China and Russia, Europe has become prey. Its political allegiance to a weakening West, its internal divisions, its attractive assets and its market of 500 million consumers make it an ideal target.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on March 27, 2019, with the headline Europe is a soft target. And it's under attack.. Subscribe