and之后的一句话：perhaps never before has it served so much to connect different peoples and nations as in the recent events in Europe. 这句话由于否定副词never before置于句首引起部分倒装，所以应该首先将其还原为正常语序：It perhaps has never served so much... to connect different peoples and nations是不定式结构做目的状语。as in the recent events in Europe是as引导的比较状语从句，这里也省略了主句提到的内容，补充完整是as it has served to connect different peoples and nations in the recent events in Europe.这句话的结构较前一句话相对复杂。
