Kemal Öztürk
The title is not mine but belongs to a European diplomat.
Perhaps the speech that could be interpreted as a “declaration of war” between the US and Europe took place at the security summit in Munich on February 14. That day, while Europe was busy celebrating Valentine’s Day, its “longtime lover,” the newly appointed US Vice President JD Vance, delivered such a harsh and aggressive speech that the romantic spirit of the day was completely shattered. Diplomats and politicians in the audience began to wonder whether the US was no longer Europe’s ally but even its enemy. The situation was that dire.
Gideon Rachman, Chief Foreign Policy Commentator at the Financial Times, spoke to diplomats and politicians who attended the summit and reflected their views in his column. The headline was taken from his article.
Not only Financial Times but also The Economist, The Guardian, and other major European newspapers and TV networks have virtually declared war on the United States. The BBC has even conducted research on how Europe could defend itself without US support.
As you can see, the somewhat condescending remarks made by Trump, Vance, and Elon Musk have infuriated European politicians, diplomats, and intellectuals.
EUROPE IS DEFENSELESS WITHOUT THE US
Europe had been in a state of complacency for a long time. Journalists, writers, and experts who spent days debating the “virtues” of same-sex marriage, the plight of salmon in the North European seas, vegan diets, and Milan Fashion Week now seem to have woken up—shaken by the slap their 80-year ally, the US, delivered in Munich.
European politicians, too, have stopped lecturing about how to expel migrants from Europe, how burning the Quran is an expression of free speech, and the rights of minorities in other countries. Instead, they have started asking, “What do we do without the US?”
The answer to this question was given to Financial Times by an anonymous foreign minister who attended the Munich summit: “We cannot handle even the most basic security tasks without the US.”
After years of outsourcing their national security entirely to the United States, it seems they have now realized that, apart from traffic police, they have no military force left to defend their countries.
Viewing the situation from a businessman’s perspective, the US President objected: “We are spending billions of dollars on NATO and US bases in Europe to protect you. This comfortable arrangement is over, gentlemen.”
The US Secretary of Defense, meanwhile, came to Poland and delivered the harsh truth to Europe: “We cannot protect you forever. Start investing in defense now.”
MONEY MUST NOW GO TO DEFENSE
The 27 European Union countries panicked as if they had been left naked in the wilderness without American planes, missiles, air defense systems, and nuclear weapons.
They had long been aware that, except for the UK and France, there was no military force left in Europe capable of resisting a “Russian invasion.” Yet, they chose to ignore it.
The war in Ukraine had already been keeping them up at night. However, they managed to keep Russia away from their borders by persuading Ukrainians with a “We’ll give you money, and you’ll die in the war” approach. The strongest economy in Europe, Germany, even shrank last year because it was paying the salaries of Ukrainian soldiers. If Germany is struggling financially, imagine the state of the other countries.
But now, simply throwing money at the problem is no longer enough—because they know that nothing can be done in Ukraine without US weaponry.
Don’t be fooled by the UK’s posturing about sending troops to Ukraine. The croissant-and-cappuccino-loving Europeans of England and France would never abandon their comfortable lifestyles to die for Ukraine. They should start preparing to say goodbye to Ukraine.
A LEADERLESS AND INEFFECTIVE EUROPE
As the Middle East burned, Europe was not concerned with the lives lost but rather with how to stop the migrants fleeing the region. The method they devised? Sinking migrant boats in the Mediterranean—courtesy of Italy, Greece, and Malta. This immoral tactic cost thousands of lives, yet no one spoke out…
Instead of preventing the rise of the far right, European leaders assumed they could stay in power comfortably by adopting anti-immigrant policies themselves.
They have failed to preserve the European Union, which is on the verge of disintegration. They have long lost their status as a global military or economic counterbalance.
Their fantastical strategy? “Let war break out, then the US, China, and Russia will intervene, and once the destruction is over, we’ll have a say in rebuilding the ruined countries.”
Apart from the leadership of Germany’s former Chancellor Angela Merkel, they have failed to produce a new political figure of significance. A weak and incompetent Europe will now also be left defenseless.
The UK Prime Minister and the French President are set to visit the US soon. Let’s see what kind of bill Trump presents them with. “He who pays, gets protection.” I bet Trump the Trader will say exactly that.
TÜRKİYE MAY STEP INTO THE SPOTLIGHT
For nearly 50 years, Europe has kept Türkiye’s EU membership in limbo. Despite fulfilling all the necessary conditions, Türkiye was never granted full membership. Now, I know there are some who regret that decision.
With the world’s 11th-largest economy, Europe’s 4th-largest economy, one of the top 10 strongest armies globally, a population of 85 million, and a young, dynamic workforce, Türkiye could have played a crucial role in revitalizing Europe.
Now, European politicians and intellectuals have started acknowledging this reality. However, given the deep-rooted Islamophobia, xenophobia, and ultra-nationalism in their countries, can they truly accept Türkiye into the EU? I have my doubts.
On the other hand, is Türkiye still as eager to join the European Union as it once was? That remains uncertain. Public opinion polls indicate that the majority of Türkiye’s population no longer desires EU membership.
Yet, if Türkiye were to join the EU, it would do so while carefully considering the geopolitical balance between Russia, China, and the US. Let’s see how things unfold.
Until today, I had never written an article about tensions between the US and Europe. It turns out to be quite enjoyable and liberating!
Are we always going to talk about our own problems?