Europe's place in a reformatted world
The latest vote in the UN Security Council, US Vice President JD Vance's speech at the Munich Security Conference and the decision to freeze a large part of the US's development budget: a series of recent developments highlight the radical changes in US foreign policy under President Trump. Commentators reflect on the consequences for Europe.
Time to part ways
Europe must now complete its separation from the US, Visão demands:
“Since Donald Trump returned to the White House, Europe and the US have de facto split up. The differences between the two are becoming increasingly pronounced, they disagree on almost everything and are no longer really interested in continuing to work together. Europe can no longer allow itself to be lulled by the illusion of an alliance and US protection. ... The time to part ways has come, as the next German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has warned, insisting that his 'absolute priority' is to guarantee independence from the US.”
Respond quickly to power vacuums
Europe must replace the US in some parts of the world, writes hvg:
“Trump's America no longer wants to be better or more likeable than Russia or China. The achievements of past decades are at risk. ... Where the US withdraws, other powers will move into the vacuum. In the most fortunate places it will be the EU - provided it can get its act together within a year and recognise that it must replace USAID, as well as the CIA and the FBI. Elsewhere, China and Russia will move in and take whatever they can get. How this is supposed to make America great, not even Trump himself knows.”
Reunited by adversity
Corriere della Sera speculates:
“Let's forget about Brexit. The UK is coming back and the EU is moving away from the idea of making London pay for the 2016 separation. Of course, this won't be about the UK returning to the Brussels palaces. And there won't be a sudden intimacy either - but perhaps a more solid pragmatism forced on both sides of the Channel by Donald Trump. ... The resumption of a strong relationship between the EU and the UK is one of the first effects of the new transatlantic reality.”