A Speech on Humanity, Technology, and the Future of Geopolitics

My friends,

There was a time—not long ago—when the greatest fear in a political campaign was a bad newspaper headline. Today, it’s waking up to find a deepfake of yourself declaring war on Russia.

There was a time when Europe was a project of unity, a dream of overcoming centuries of bloodshed. Today, it is fractured—economically, politically, strategically. A continent once committed to diplomacy now drifts dangerously toward a war without an exit strategy.

And there was a time when U.S. leadership sought to balance power and avoid unnecessary conflict. Today, policy is driven not by a clear vision for peace, but by a reflexive cycle of escalation—one that benefits weapons manufacturers more than it does the American people.

So let’s ask ourselves—where are we really?

We were told that with enough innovation, knowledge, and progress, we’d reach the next level. But instead of a world made safer by wisdom, we have one driven by blind momentum—where technology races forward, but diplomacy stands still.

Smarter, But Not Wiser

Let’s take a brief stroll through history, shall we?

In 1945, we saw the destructive power of the atomic bomb. We said, never again. Then we built thousands more.

In 1962, the Cuban Missile Crisis brought the world to the brink of annihilation. A crisis that could have ended civilization was resolved—not by reckless escalation, but by sober, backchannel diplomacy.

In 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed. Some declared it “the end of history,” as if nothing could ever challenge Western dominance again. Thirty years later, we see history moving in ways many refused to imagine.

We were told NATO expansion would guarantee peace. Instead, it became a creeping pressure campaign, one that ignored Moscow’s warnings until war broke out in Ukraine. Now, instead of de-escalation, we see an arms race, economic warfare, and leaders sleepwalking into a confrontation with nuclear consequences.

The Myth of Progress

Let me paint you a picture of the future we are sleepwalking into.

Thirty years from now, Europe is no longer a beacon of cooperation but a continent divided by economic stagnation and military blocs. The United States, once a stabilizing force, has exhausted itself in conflicts it did not need to fight. And the war in Ukraine? It has either dragged on endlessly or been “resolved” at a catastrophic cost no one was prepared to pay.

This is not an unavoidable fate. But it is the direction we are heading if we do not change course.

Because at the end of the day, AI doesn’t care about justice. It doesn’t care about fairness. It doesn’t care if a Ukrainian family loses their home, if a Russian conscript never returns, if an American taxpayer is drained for a war without victory.

It just runs the numbers.

And if we, as humans, stop caring—if we treat diplomacy as weakness and endless war as inevitable—then what exactly makes us better than the machines we’re building?

The Choice We Face

History tells us that every great technological or political leap comes with a question: What do we do with it?

We have a choice.

We can continue fueling a war without a clear endgame, allowing Europe to fracture further, letting alliances be dictated by ideological rigidity rather than strategic reality.

Or we can pursue a settlement—one that is not about capitulation, but about recognizing the limits of force, the necessity of negotiation, and the responsibility to prevent a wider war.

Because the future is not something we inherit. It’s something we fight for.

A Deal That Works—Not a War That Doesn’t

If we are serious about avoiding catastrophe, then the goal should not be victory at any cost. It should be a peace that lasts.

That means acknowledging realities on the ground rather than pretending they don’t exist. It means diplomacy backed by strength, not escalation backed by arrogance. It means a Europe that prioritizes its own security over Washington’s military-industrial complex.

And let’s be very clear: those who call for realism will be attacked.

We love to talk about the greatness of democracy. But let’s not pretend we don’t know what happens to those who challenge the wrong interests.

JFK had a vision of peace beyond the Cold War. He got a bullet in Dallas.

MLK dreamed of economic justice, not just racial justice. He got a bullet in Memphis.

Robert Kennedy stood against war and inequality. He got a bullet in Los Angeles.

Now, I’m not saying every conspiracy theory is true—because, trust me, some of them are absolutely unhinged—but let’s not be naïve either. If you threaten the wrong pockets, history suggests you don’t get to finish your speech.

So let’s be very clear: this is not about being pro-Russian, anti-Ukraine, or isolationist. This is about being pro-reality. About refusing to let ideological stubbornness drag us into a conflict that leaves Europe weakened, the U.S. overstretched, and the world more unstable.

The Next Level—Or Just Another Mistake?

We have a choice.

We can keep pretending that throwing more weapons into the fire will magically bring peace.

Or we can recognize that the next level of leadership isn’t about who shouts the loudest for war. It’s about who has the courage to seek a settlement before it’s too late.

We need leaders who understand that diplomacy is not weakness, but the only true test of strength.

We need policies that serve people, not just arms manufacturers.

We need a world where wisdom matters more than blind escalation.

Because if we don’t fight for those things, then all the progress in the world won’t save us from our own destruction.

A Final Thought

There was a time when leaders dreamed big.

Lincoln spoke of a nation reborn in freedom. FDR promised a New Deal. JFK pointed to the stars and said, We can go there.

Now, too many leaders only dream of their next election cycle. They don’t ask, What will Europe be in 100 years? They ask, What will my poll numbers be next week?

So let’s choose.

Let’s choose a world where technology serves humanity—not the other way around.

Let’s choose a Europe that does not march blindly into war, but shapes a peace that works.

And if we get it right, maybe—just maybe—the future won’t be written by an algorithm.

It’ll be written by us.

Paul Alexander Wolf