The first decisions of the new US President Donald Trump are pushing the EU and NATO into a more difficult and awkward situation.
The informal summit between the EU, the British Prime Minister and the NATO Secretary General has not helped the two blocs find solutions to new challenges.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (left) and President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola in Brussels on January 13, 2025
Mr. Trump has not imposed trade protection tariffs on the EU and has not officially asked NATO members to increase their annual defense budget to 5% of GDP as announced. But Mr. Trump has made no secret of his determination to do so. Mr. Trump has never shown any respect for the EU and NATO.
Therefore, the problem that the EU and NATO must solve now is how to handle relations with the US when Mr. Trump is in power in the US, how to support Ukraine in case Mr. Trump stops or significantly reduces aid to Kyiv. The problem is also how to deal with Russia when President Trump establishes a separate personal relationship channel with Russian President Vladimir Putin. NATO and the EU must take care of ensuring the security of their members in Europe in case Mr. Trump reduces the US commitment to ensuring the security of its allies in Europe.
The EU and NATO are still at a standstill because although they agree on the direction of the solution, they cannot guarantee its feasibility. Internally, the members do not agree on financial contributions to common defense and security. The two blocs have not found a way to replace the US in supporting Ukraine. The EU and NATO have determined that their strategy is to avoid conflict with Mr. Trump and become more self-reliant in security, while being ready to respond firmly when Mr. Trump provokes them. Because the difficulty lies in the specific implementation, the EU and NATO have discussed a lot but are still at a standstill.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/eu-va-nato-ban-di-thao-lai-van-bi-18525020421542082.htm
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