The new US administration’s approaches to security issues differ radically from the traditional relationships established after World War II. Trump and his entourage’s perspectives have particularly surprised US allies. Western European states have for decades built their political priorities around economic needs, delegating the right to make security decisions to the US. Faced with external threats, European countries now stand alone, while their own capabilities to address these threats are inadequate.
The situation that has formed has two logics: challenges and opportunities. Even minimal Russian gains in Ukraine could become a long-term factor in the disintegration of European unity. It is not surprising that Georgia, for example, which had long struggled to secure its place on the path to EU membership, has in the new situation taken a step back, essentially expressing distrust towards the capabilities of the European security system. At the same time, the current situation has demonstrated the necessity for Europe to resolve problems independently and become a real power center. Apparently, this conclusion is acceptable not only for EU countries but also for Great Britain and Norway, which are advocating for finding revolutionary solutions. EU countries have already ratified a program to allocate 800 billion euros to the defense sector, which will be entirely directed towards reforming the military component.
Developments indicate that the trinity of Great Britain, France, and Germany could lead to the formation of a new pole on the global political chessboard—a “European power center.” According to this logic, the “West” pole could split into two parts—the US and Europe—but it would only benefit from this, as it would function with two edges in a multipolar world order. Moreover, the new “Europe” power center would be populous and territorially extensive—from Lisbon to Kyiv and the Baltic countries, from Iceland to Cyprus and the South Caucasus.
Photo: The Telegraph
Robert Ghevondyan
