Europe and the US continue to distance themselves

Europe is no longer the main focus of US foreign policy, and this change is structural, according to Kaja Kallas, the European Union (EU) High Representative for Foreign Affairs.

,,Our continent is no longer a major center of gravity for Washington, the changes have been underway for some time and are not temporary’’, Kallas said, speaking at an EU defense conference.

She stressed that the United States will remain an important partner and ally for European countries, but Europe must adapt to new realities and act, as no great power in history has transferred responsibility for its survival to other states only to cease to exist.

However, Mark Rutte, the Secretary General of NATO, said that the EU will never be able to become independent in security matters without the US, in an interview with the Dutch newspaper Financieele Dagblad.

,,In my opinion, the chances are zero. History has brought us together and we have cooperated to resolve international crises. The American nuclear umbrella is still our main security guarantee’’, Rutte said.

Noting Europe’s vulnerability, he called for the idea of ​​temporary autonomy to be abandoned, especially in the context of the fact that EU member states are not spending enough on their defense budget.

Maintaining the transatlantic alliance in the current circumstances requires an unprecedented involvement of European leaders in order to be able to limit the tireless pressure tactics of US President Donald Trump.