The US published on Thursday its 2025 national security strategy bashing the EU for what it called its economic and cultural decline. The strategy includes a foreword by President Donald Trump where he wrote that, “In everything we do, we are putting America first.”
In the part of the strategy dealing with Europe, titled ‘Promoting European Greatness’, it claims that Europe’s economic decline is “eclipsed by the real and starker prospect of civilizational erasure”.
The strategy repeats allegations that were voiced by US Vice-President JD Vance at the Munich conference last February. At the time, they were not directly rebutted by the EU.
“The larger issues facing Europe include activities of the EU and other transnational bodies that undermine political liberty and sovereignty, migration policies that are transforming the continent and creating strife, censorship of free speech and suppression of political opposition, cratering birthrates, and loss of national identities and self-confidence.”
“Should present trends continue, the continent will be unrecognizable in 20 years or less. As such, it is far from obvious whether certain European countries will have economies and militaries strong enough to remain reliable allies.”
As regards the war in Ukraine, the strategy includes mixed messages. “It is a core interest of the US to negotiate an expeditious cessation of hostilities in Ukraine, in order to stabilize European economies, prevent unintended escalation or expansion of the war, and reestablish strategic stability with Russia, as well as to enable the post-hostilities reconstruction of Ukraine to enable its survival as a viable state.”
On the other hand, it says that “the Trump Administration finds itself at odds with European officials who hold unrealistic expectations for the war perched in unstable minority governments, many of which trample on basic principles of democracy to suppress opposition.”
“A large European majority wants peace, yet that desire is not translated into policy, in large measure because of those governments’ subversion of democratic processes,” according to the strategy. The US continues to interfere in elections and to encourage ‘patriotic European parties’.
“American diplomacy should continue to stand up for genuine democracy, freedom of expression, and unapologetic celebrations of European nations’ individual character and history. America encourages its political allies in Europe to promote this revival of spirit, and the growing influence of patriotic European parties indeed gives cause for great optimism.
The American broad policy for Europe should among others prioritize ‘Opening European markets to U.S. goods and services and ensuring fair treatment of U.S. workers and businesses’ and ‘Encouraging Europe to take action to combat mercantilist overcapacity, technological theft, cyber espionage, and other hostile economic practices’.
In a tweet from the Doha Forum in Qatar on Saturday, High Representative Kaja Kallas wrote that, “Europe has been underestimating its own power, especially towards Russia. We should be more self-confident. The United States is still our biggest ally. And it's in the interest of the US that we work together.”
According to an interview for Euronews, she downplayed the controversy with the US as expressed in its National Security Strategy report.
"Let's focus on the things that we can do together. I mean, what we can take from that security strategy is that we are still allies with America. We don't always see eye to eye on everything." She highlighted the “strong priority the strategy places on ending Russia’s war against Ukraine. Europe and the US share a responsibility in supporting a just and lasting peace."
Defying the US, she added that, “When it comes to decisions relating to the EU, they are taken by the EU, for the EU, including those relating to our regulatory autonomy, protection of free speech and the rules-based international order.”
