Charles Michael, President of the European Council, Ursula van der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and US President Joe Biden will meet at the EU-US Summit on June 15, 2021 in Brussels, Belgium.
Dursan Aytemir | Anatole Company | Getty Images
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LONDON – According to a former German ally, the European Union should withdraw its security and defense policy from the region of the United States.
The EU has participated in soul-seeking exercises since US and Allied troops withdrew from Afghanistan in August. Shortly afterwards, Australia announced a submarine deal with France in September and instead announced a partnership with the US. French and EU officials referred to the deal as a “Slap in the back.”
Tensions between Europe and the United States have sparked calls for a stronger security policy within the EU that is less dependent on the United States.
“Europe must learn to think strategically,” Sigmar Gabriel, former German deputy and foreign minister, told CNBC on Thursday. “We don’t have to do this work in the past because this work was done by the British, especially the French, but mostly the Americans. We have to learn that now. “
The European Union is a group of 27 countries in which powers are divided at national and EU level. When it comes to security, as in health and financial policy, decisions are made by national governments.
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In addition, the EU has not yet recognized the need for strong integration in this area, as most of its members are represented in the North Atlantic Pact Organization, the Atlantic Security Pact Organization.
However, European Joe Biden’s slogan ‘America is back’ doesn’t mean old America is back, it represents more than 70 years of international European interest, said Gabriel.
In terms of foreign policy, Biden’s government has focused particularly on China. Reports at the G7 and NATO levels have proven it.
“The United States wants to play a key role in defending democracy against the rise of dictatorial regimes, but it will focus more on the Indo-Pacific region and the Atlantic Alliance will have a lot to do – but very little. [them] Everything is Atlantic, ”he added.
However, this geopolitical repositioning of the United States opens up opportunities for the EU to strengthen its role elsewhere.
“Europe needs to think about how to fill the void [now] The United States is withdrawing to the southern Mediterranean, North Africa, and the Middle East. Currently, the vacuum are dictatorial countries, Turkey, Russia, and Iran [United] The United Arab Emirates – even China – want to expand their influence in the region. The only ones who don’t have much to say are Europeans, ”said Gabriel.
The EU does not need to act militarily, but rather a “common security and security policy”.
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