America sees European allies as 'vassals'
(Baonghean.vn) - Analysts say the US is trying to force its European allies to buy US weapons, a move that appears to be aimed at ensuring Washington's dominance in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as well as maintaining hegemony in the world arms market.
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| US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Photo: Getty |
The administration of US President Donald Trump has issued an "ultimatum" to European allies, demanding that these countries change their defense policies to ensure that Europe remains closely linked with US defense manufacturers in the field of new weapons manufacturing.
However, according to defense analyst Lajos Szaszdi Leon-Borja, as the European Union (EU) promotes the goal of establishing a common army, starting with developing its own weapons systems independent of the US, Washington seems to be concerned about the prospect of losing its important role in NATO.
"This independence seems to worry the US, because it will reduce Washington's ability to influence important strategic decisions and force deployments within NATO - a military alliance dominated by the US - if European allies are armed and pursue doctrines separate from US military demands," the expert said.
Mr. Leon-Borja emphasized that the US ultimatum was equivalent to an act of intimidation aimed at causing panic among allies in Europe.
Meanwhile, expert Tiberio Graziani - President of Vision & Global Trends, Institute for Global Analysis, commented that these types of threats and ultimatums show that the US treats European allies as "real vassals", while preventing them from cooperating with Russia and China.
"Fundamentally, President (Donald) Trump does not trust European allies. From his perspective, European countries are a burden and a potential partner for China and Russia. For that reason, US policy is to further weaken European countries and divide them by blocking any opportunity for cooperation within Europe," Mr. Graziani shared.
The US is also worried that Europe could become a serious competitor in the field of arms exports, said Leon-Borja. Despite its close relationship with the US in history, the EU is increasingly opposed to Washington's threats and ultimatums, he said.
