Washington Is Putting Europe In Its Place

The Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG) was the first event on European soil for the new Donald Trump administration, followed closely by the Munich Security Conference.

- HARSHA KAKAR

At both these events, representatives of the Trump administration rebuked European leaders and displayed scant regard for the trans-Atlantic alliance. It was sending a message that the US does not consider its European allies as equal partners.

Pete Hegseth, the US Secretary of Defence, mentioned to members of the UDCG that the Ukraine war would end but not under conditions placed by Europe or Ukraine. He ruled out the entry of Ukraine into NATO. Hitting harder, he mentioned that security guarantees for Ukraine must flow from Europe and that European nations must enhance their defence budgets. Finally, he warned that Europe cannot depend on the US for its security.

Following Hegseth was the US Vice President, JD Vance, who lambasted Europe on free speech and its migration policies, in his address at the Munich Security Conference, which ignored the expected subjects of Gaza and Ukraine. He claimed Europe faced a greater threat from within than from Russia or China. Vance criticised those who blocked the far-right as also suppressed freedom of speech. Trump and the European far-right have a lot in common; both are against illegal migration and rights for the LGBTQ community.

Vance's verbal assault shook Europe. His comments came less than 10 days before a crucial national election in Germany, the most powerful European nation, where the far-right was hoping to grab power. Adding to Europe's problems is Trump's threat of unilateral tariffs and of invading Greenland.

Europe attempted to hit back, justifying its policies but to no avail. For decades, European nations, mainly Germany, had been lecturing the Global South on democracy. Now was payback time. The Global South watched as the European leadership squirmed, unable to defend themselves from Vance's attack.