The US views its European allies as 'vassals'.
(Baonghean.vn) - Analysts believe that the US is trying to pressure its European allies to buy American weapons, a move seemingly aimed at securing Washington's dominance within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as well as maintaining its hegemony in the global arms market.
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| US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Photo: Getty |
The Trump administration issued an "ultimatum" to its European allies, demanding that they change their defense policies to ensure that Europe remains closely linked with American defense manufacturers in the development of new weapons.
However, according to defense analyst Lajos Szaszdi Leon-Borja, as the European Union (EU) pursues its goal of establishing a common army, starting with the development of weapons systems independent of the US, Washington seems concerned about the prospect of losing its important role in NATO.
The expert said: "This independence seems to worry the U.S., because it would reduce Washington's ability to influence key strategic decisions and troop deployments within NATO – the military alliance dominated by the U.S. – if European allies are armed and pursue doctrines separate from U.S. military demands."
Leon-Borja emphasized that the US ultimatum was tantamount to an act of intimidation aimed at causing panic among allies in Europe.
Meanwhile, expert Tiberio Graziani, President of Vision & Global Trends at the Institute for Global Analysis, commented that such threats and ultimatums demonstrate that the US treats its European allies as "villains," while preventing them from cooperating with Russia and China.
Graziani shared: "Essentially, President (Donald) Trump doesn't trust his European allies. From his perspective, European countries are a burden and potential partners for China and Russia. For that reason, US policy is to further weaken and divide European countries by hindering any opportunity for cooperation within Europe itself."
Expert Leon-Borja believes that the US also fears that Europe could become a formidable competitor in the field of arms exports. According to this expert, despite its close historical relationship with the US, the EU is increasingly opposed to Washington's threats and ultimatums.
