Europe: Toward a Painful But Necessary Break with the US
Donald Trump’s brutality has made it clear that the Old Continent must break free from its American patron. Faced with this troubling situation, the European Union has no time to waste in gaining its independence.
In these times of doom and gloom, let’s try to see the glass as half full. Europe has just awakened. Donald Trump’s brutality has forced it out of its growth crisis, and it has realized that it must free itself from its American patron and gain independence. The majority of its member states now acknowledges this, including ardently Atlanticist Germany and the United Kingdom, which, despite leaving the EU, is still more European than ever.
Objectively speaking, this is good news. The European Union is the second or third most powerful economy in the world behind the United States and neck-and-neck with China. It is a monetary power thanks to the euro and the largest trading power on the planet, as well. The time has come for Europe to acknowledge this. Its recent free-trade agreements with Latin America (Mercosur) and India open up huge markets that can make up, at least partly, for the potential loss of the American market.
On the other hand, if we look at the glass as half empty, the current situation is worrying: Europe is not ready to be self-sufficient. It remains dependent on the United States on many fronts, and not minor ones. This is certainly the case in technology — even if alternatives have begun to emerge – as well as in defense, vital raw materials and payment systems. Europe can free itself from this ball and chain, but it will need at least three or four years to do so. This is assuming the political climate doesn’t take a turn for the worse – in other words, if the far-right sweeps to power in France, Germany or other key EU countries.
So, there is no time to waste. Even if Trump turns out to be nothing more than a blip in history, he will have shown that disaster can always strike again and that we have to be ready for it. The time of political quarrels, ego battles, compromises and selfishness is over. We’re entering a new era, and we cannot afford to lose our footing. Our independence is at stake. And possibly our freedom.
In these times of doom and gloom, let’s try to see the glass as half full. Europe has just awakened. Donald Trump’s brutality has forced it out of its growth crisis, and it has realized that it must free itself from its American patron and gain independence. The majority of its member states now acknowledges this, including ardently Atlanticist Germany and the United Kingdom, which, despite leaving the EU, is still more European than ever.
Objectively speaking, this is good news. The European Union is the second or third most powerful economy in the world behind the United States and neck-and-neck with China. It is a monetary power thanks to the euro and the largest trading power on the planet, as well. The time has come for Europe to acknowledge this. Its recent free-trade agreements with Latin America (Mercosur) and India open up huge markets that can make up, at least partly, for the potential loss of the American market.
On the other hand, if we look at the glass as half empty, the current situation is worrying: Europe is not ready to be self-sufficient. It remains dependent on the United States on many fronts, and not minor ones. This is certainly the case in technology — even if alternatives have begun to emerge – as well as in defense, vital raw materials and payment systems. Europe can free itself from this ball and chain, but it will need at least three or four years to do so. This is assuming the political climate doesn’t take a turn for the worse – in other words, if the far-right sweeps to power in France, Germany or other key EU countries.
So, there is no time to waste. Even if Trump turns out to be nothing more than a blip in history, he will have shown that disaster can always strike again and that we have to be ready for it. The time of political quarrels, ego battles, compromises and selfishness is over. We’re entering a new era, and we cannot afford to lose our footing. Our independence is at stake. And possibly our freedom.
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