Europe has come to the painful realization that it must be stronger and more militarily independent from an authoritarian American administration that no longer shares its commitment to liberal democratic norms, according to a report prepared for the Munich Security Conference.
As reported by the Guardian, this report sets the stage for a full-scale ideological confrontation with President Donald Trump's White House at the upcoming annual meeting of security policy experts, which begins on Friday.
US Vice President J.D. Vance's now-infamous speech at last year's Munich Security Conference, when he claimed that European elites were suppressing free speech and opening the floodgates for mass migration, marked the moment when Europe realized that the Trump administration would no longer be a reliable trade and security partner, writes The Guardian.
Since then, European leaders and Donald Trump's team have fought a series of battles over issues such as the US push to force Ukraine to make concessions to Russia, Trump's threats to take over Greenland, and a range of US protectionist measures, from tariff barriers to inward investment bans.
This division was clearly indicated in a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos last month by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who warned of a rift between the US and its Western allies, according to the Guardian.
Vance’s assessment of Europe’s decline is reinforced in the latest US security strategy, which accuses European leaders of overseeing “civilizational erasure.” Trump recently belittled the courage with which European NATO troops fought in Afghanistan, deeply offending European military leaders, the Guardian recalls.
Vance is not expected in Munich this year, but US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will be there, and the arrival of a US congressional delegation has been announced.
A survey commissioned for the report shows that Europeans are increasingly willing to act without American leadership and say they no longer need it.
The Munich Security Conference report accuses Trump of having a desire for destruction and siding with Vladimir Putin.
“Most of Europe is watching the US slide into ‘competitive authoritarianism’ with growing concern or even horror, wondering how resilient American democracy really is,” the report says.
The report states that the US has turned away from the liberal principles that underpinned the post-war order and that Washington may be ushering in a post-American order.
"While supporters of President Trump's policies believe they will 'make America great again,' critics say they are essentially tantamount to 'superpower suicide,'" the report says.
European leaders have realized that dependence on the US military and adaptation have reached their limits, the report added.
"Europeans have recently had to admit that it is almost impossible to reject trade agreements that run counter to open trade rules or speak out against blatant violations of other countries' sovereignty if one is heavily dependent on military aid from a country that one accuses of coercive tactics and the dismantling of existing norms," the report says.
It turns out that this is a particularly “painful realization” for the Europeans and some of their partners in the Indo-Pacific, who have long relied on Washington to be in charge of the hardest part of defending their interests.
The Munich Security Conference report suggests that European leaders adapt to the Trump administration's techniques and be bolder in their decision-making and communication. It states that those who defend international rules and institutions need to be as bold as those who seek to destroy them.
The report suggests that “relying on sterile statements, predictable conferences, and cautious diplomacy” in a world where adversaries have become much more ruthless and much more innovative — is a recipe for failure.
It is argued that in an era of destructive politics, those who simply stand by constantly risk being overwhelmed.
It adds that, given the amount of demolition already occurring, it is no longer enough to engage in small-scale reactions and efforts to rebuild the status quo.
"Those who oppose the politics of destruction must strengthen the necessary structures, create new, more sustainable designs, and become courageous builders themselves. Too much is at stake, in fact, everything is at stake," the report says.
The report also rejects Vance’s claim that European elites have become authoritarian censors. It notes that while leading figures in the Trump administration have accused the European Union and individual European governments of censorship and Ukraine of failing to reflect democratic values, they have largely refrained from any harsh criticism of Moscow, despite continued Russian repression and international aggression.
"The new US national security strategy does not even include a section dedicated to Russia. While the Biden administration considered support for Ukraine as self-defense against Russian aggression, a strategic interest and a moral duty, Trump and his team often show a disturbing favoritism towards Russian President Vladimir Putin," the document says.
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