"We cannot accept the threat of interference in the political life of Europe," said Antonio Costa on Monday morning in Brussels. The European Council President expressed his concern during a discussion at the Jacques Delors Institute and stressed European sovereignty. The reason is the new US national security strategy, which is widely seen as an insult to Europe.
The US government regularly publishes a plan for how it wants to shape security policy in the future. The latest version puts European institutions to shame and can be seen as a guideline for what Europe can expect from the US in the future.
US strategy: democracy in Europe is under threat
US President Donald Trump sets the tone in the introduction to the national security strategy: "America must remain the greatest and most successful nation in history." The strategy follows the MAGA doctrine and emphasizes "America First."
The US government makes it clear that it primarily pursues national interests. Europe remains a strategic partner, but is primarily the subject of criticism.
Economic decline, suppressed political freedom and a flawed migration policy: from an American perspective, Europe is developing in the wrong direction. The accusations are many. European institutions are allegedly restricting freedom of speech and suppressing opposition, national identities are disappearing. “If nothing changes, the continent will be unrecognizable in 20 years or less,” the strategy states. Mass migration around the world must be stopped.
The strategic document continues the MAGA doctrine
Judy Dempsey from Carnegie Europe sees the document as a continuation of MAGA politics: "Now we know where Donald Trump's administration stands," she told DW, "and that's good." The strategy clearly shows that the US is pursuing a transactional policy. Everything has its price and must serve American interests, Dempsey explains. What has long been announced is now written in black and white.
The US government wants to take a more active role in the future and "help" to correct the current course. One goal is to "incite resistance to the current course of Europe within European nations." The US government views positively the influence of "patriotic European parties." This could, for example, refer to the Alternative for Germany (AfD), which maintains contacts with leading Republicans.
What this would mean in concrete terms can already be seen in Marco Rubio's instructions. The US Secretary of State has instructed US diplomats in Europe to influence national governments to restrict immigration as much as possible.
US Security Strategy: Praise from Moscow, Confusion in Brussels
It is in the United States' interest to end the war in Ukraine in order to stabilize the European economy. However, the Trump administration believes that its position is "in conflict with European politicians who have unrealistic expectations about the war."
Jan Lesser, director of the Brussels office of the German Marshall Fund, a transatlantic think tank, believes this confirms a fundamental difference. According to him, the US government "sees the war in Ukraine only as an unpleasant problem that needs to be solved and put aside," while Europe faces the challenge of "how to live with an aggressive Russia in the future."
Kaia Kallas: "Some things are true"
While many EU observers are watching the signals from the US with concern, the bloc's leading politicians remain committed to the transatlantic partnership. EU High Representative Kaja Kalas tried to calm the situation at the Doha Forum on Saturday. "Some things are true," she told a panel in the Qatari capital, "Europe really underestimates its own strength." She called for more self-confidence, while also emphasizing the partnership with the US: "We have to stick together."
Anita Hiper, the European Commission's spokeswoman for security policy, added to the statement at a press conference on Monday: "Decisions concerning the European Union are taken by the European Union for the European Union, including those concerning our regulatory autonomy and the protection of freedom of speech."
Cost: "The US cannot decide"
European Council President Antonio Costa also emphasizes the transatlantic partnership. The US remains an important partner, but he strongly opposes the statements on intra-European issues made in the security strategy: "The United States cannot decide for European citizens which parties are good and which are bad," he said at a conference in Brussels on Monday morning.
While the US remains an important partner, he underlines European sovereignty. "To protect ourselves not only from adversaries, but also from allies, we must strengthen Europe," Costa said.
No European strategy in sight
Judy Dempsey believes that a unified strategy from Brussels is missing. She believes that the United States has dealt a "heavy blow in the back" with its new national security strategy. She adds that Europe is at a disadvantage because it does not have a common strategy among its member states, and therefore "Europe will not respond."
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has not commented on the new strategy.
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