N. Peter Kramer’s Weekly Column
Increasing US indifference to European security is, in the words of President Emmanuel Macron, ‘the elephant in the room’. Europe has an ‘over-reliance on the US security umbrella’, he also said at the gathering of European leaders in Armenia.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, also present, admitted that Europe’s alliances ‘are not where we want them to be’, a comment apparently aimed at the US. He urged to move at pace in bolstering the European defences. Starmer’s desire is to deepen the UK’s cooperation with the European Union. He is currently negotiating joining a EU-led €90billion loan scheme to support Ukraine.
Feeding the sense of urgency was the US president’s announced removal of 5.000 troops and long-range missiles from bases in Germany. Missiles were placed there by Trump’s predecessor Joe Biden to deter future Russian aggression. Chancellor Friedrich Merz, not present in Armenia, suggestion that Trump’s war on Iran lacked strategy clearly triggered the removal announcement. Berlin has tried to cool the row with the US President, who has said Merz is ‘doing a terrible job’.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, always prepared for a charm offensive towards the US leader, said, the European leaders ‘had heard’ his frustrations.
Europe’s desired ‘strategic autonomy’ or independence from US military strength will take decades, if it at all will happen. Hope could be that the continent develops military capabilities to the US president’s satisfaction.
