US-EU Reconciliation

Josep Borrell says that the relationship with the United States is fundamental for Europeans.

Josep Borrell's announcement in Washington of reconciliation between the United States and the European Union is wonderful news. The disagreements of recent days have been overcome and the two sides are committed to improving the transatlantic relationship. The EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy made the following statement: the confrontation between China and the United States will mark this century. It is clear that we Europeans are the best partners and allies of the United States, as Borrell also stated, concluding that for Europeans this relationship is fundamental because there is no better alternative for Europe's territorial defence than NATO. 

I end my allusions to the Spanish politician's statements with the certainty that an advance in Europe's military capabilities strengthens the transatlantic relationship; it will always be complementary. These statements made during his visit to the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, and after being received at the Pentagon to discuss joint defence issues, are highly significant. This visit may be the culmination of the recovery of good relations between the United States and the European Union, when just a fortnight ago members of the European Commission claimed that the Americans had left NATO. Blinken travelled to Paris for an OECD meeting and clarified many issues with his European allies, especially France, which was aggrieved by the loss of a lucrative submarine sales contract to Australia because of Washington's decision to create the AUKUS Indo-Pacific defence agreement with the United Kingdom and Australia. A lot has had to be ironed out in the space of a few days for the allies to make peace and acknowledge in public that it is essential to maintain and strengthen NATO and the transatlantic link shortly after the calamitous but necessary exit from Afghanistan.  The Gordian knot in the equation is not only security and defence, but also new technologies, European trade relations with China and the threat to Washington and Europeans alike that China has managed to infiltrate European strategic sectors through companies and investments that give it access to classified information. During a meeting between a European and an American minister, the topic of conversation for more than two hours was Huawei and its activities. The challenge imposed by the Biden administration on the Europeans is to choose between the United States and China; there is no room for half-measures. It is not easy to implement the decision and undo some agreements with the Chinese, but it is being done.