Nournews: The results of the most recent survey by the European Council of Foreign Affairs, conducted in cooperation with institutes such as Norsat, YouGov, Datapraxis, and Rating Group, show that the historical perception of “the United States as a natural and everlasting ally of Europe” has faded more than ever with the start of Donald Trump’s second term in office.
According to the data, a significant portion of Europe currently considers the United States their “necessary partner” and even a “rival.” The important point is that the change in attitude is evident in countries that once had a very close relationship with Washington, reflecting that historical trust will not be easily restored.
According to polls, in Britain – famous for its long “special ties” with the United States – only about 30 percent of respondents still consider the United States their ally, while close to 45 percent consider it a “necessary partner,” and about 15 percent consider it a “rival.” In France, the situation is not much different, with about 25 percent of the French considering Trump’s America their “ally” and about 20 percent seeing it as their “rival.” Germany is facing a similar number of doubts about the United States. About half of respondents see the United States as a “necessary partner” rather than a close strategic ally.
In Eastern Europe, the situation is a bit different. For example, in Ukraine, about half of the respondents (45 to 50 percent) still consider the U.S. an ally. This may stem from their intensified need for military and political support from the United States against Russia’s threats.
However, even in Poland and Romania – historically countries with a strong tendency to have security relations with Washington – the number of people who consider the U.S. a real ally has decreased significantly, reaching 30 to 40 percent.
One of the key reasons for the formation of such a new attitude is Trump’s “America First” policy, which, in his first term as president, showed that he was not committed to traditional extra-Atlantic agreements by withdrawing from important international deals (such as the JCPOA and the Paris Agreement) and imposing unilateral tariffs on European goods as punishment. Now, with the start of his second term, many European leaders and public opinion are worried that this unilateral approach will intensify, leading to increased trade and political disagreements between Washington and Brussels. Because of this, a trend of “strategic autonomy” has begun in Europe, aiming to decrease its defensive and economic dependency on the U.S.
In line with this, European nations are increasingly creating replacement mechanisms to counter the sanctions and unilateral decisions of the U.S. Among these are independent financial mechanisms and efforts to improve joint defense industries. Although these actions have not yet matured, the mere proposal of such innovations indicates that past trust in Washington will not be easily restored, at least in the short term. However, one must not forget that security, cultural, and economic connections between Europe and the U.S. are so intertwined that neither party can distance itself from the other, even if it wants to. What has changed for now is Europe’s attitude toward the U.S. Europe has concluded that the U.S. is no longer an “undisputed ally” and is more of a “necessary partner,” with cooperation being unavoidable, but unconditional trust in it has become difficult.
NOURNEWS