Politico: Europeans Plan for Separation from the U.S.
Tehran - BORNA - The American newspaper has analyzed that the process of intensifying tensions between the U.S. and Europe, especially the recent escalation of their disagreements over the island of Greenland—an autonomous island belonging to Denmark, which U.S. President "Donald Trump" has spoken of his intention to annex to the U.S.—has increasingly questioned the alliance of the parties within NATO. Now, some officials believe that the plan for forming a European security alliance, known as the "Coalition of the Willing," which was proposed to support Ukraine, has now become the foundation for establishing a European military-security alliance without the United States.
"Politico" writes: In a process that has occurred for many crumbling relationships, over the year since Donald Trump's return to the White House, we have witnessed numerous disputes, unspoken tensions, and attempts to save face in the public arena. But in the view of many European governments, including those that were among America's oldest and most loyal allies, Trump's recent threat to impose punitive tariffs against anyone who obstructs the takeover of Greenland has delivered the final blow to the body of the parties' relations. They believe that the separation of the two sides is now inevitable.
Dissatisfied European officials, in private conversations, have referred to Trump's haste to annex this autonomous territory belonging to Denmark as a "mad" and "insane" act, asking if he considers himself a warrior after his adventure in Venezuela. They also state that if he carries out his threats against his European allies, he will have launched a clear and unprovoked "attack" against allies across the Atlantic, and in that event, he would deserve the harshest retaliatory response from Europe.
A European diplomat, who, like other officials interviewed by Politico, did not disclose their name, clarified: "I think they would consider such a step to be very extreme. Many have criticized Europe for acting weakly against Trump. Of course, their criticism is partly correct, but there are also red lines for Europeans."
Senior European officials are now increasingly convinced that the reality is that Trump-led America should no longer be considered a reliable trading partner and a dependable security ally, and that they must urgently consider future plans.
A senior official belonging to a European government said: "Changes in U.S. policies are in many ways permanent. The solution is no longer to wait for the situation to improve. What we must do is to have a systematic and coordinated move towards accepting the new reality."
According to Politico, this coordination has already begun, and a major discussion among Europeans about the future is underway.
The newspaper believes that a radical change in the United States' approach will likely lead to a radical reshaping of the situation in the West and, consequently, a transformation in the global balance of power. The destructive consequences of these radical changes include escalating trade tensions between the U.S. and Europe, resulting in economic damages and security risks. Europe, before retaliating against Washington, first wants to gain the ability to defend itself without American assistance.
Furthermore, the intensification of disagreements between the two sides of the Atlantic will also entail costs for the United States, including losing access to its network of bases, airports, and logistical support centers in Europe. Without this access, it will no longer be able to project power in Africa and West Asia as effectively as before.
On the other hand, according to this report, diplomats and government officials in European capitals are not only considering potential trade retaliations against the U.S. but also examining the consequences of a long-term separation from Washington.
These officials believe that ending 80 years of peaceful cooperation between the parties, which led to profitable trade and mutual support, would be a painful event and would inflict a fatal blow to the NATO alliance in its current form.
A significant number of European governments are looking to save whatever they can, while "Giorgia Meloni," Italy's far-right leader, continues to strive for rebuilding relations.
According to Politico, one of the plans that European countries, even non-EU members like the UK and Norway, have been working on during Donald Trump's potential second presidential term to prepare themselves for setting aside the U.S. from their partnership, is the formation of the so-called "Coalition of the Willing," which was previously proposed to compensate for Washington's cut in support for Kyiv.
Politico writes: National security advisors from 35 European governments are in regular contact, meeting regularly online and in person, and also interacting through rather informal text messages. They are looking for multilateral solutions in a world where Trump is part of a larger problem. According to individuals familiar with how this group operates, the level of trust among the circles within it is generally high. Furthermore, interactions are not limited to lower-ranking officials; national leaders themselves have rolled up their sleeves and are interacting closely in new groups.
The American newspaper also reveals in this report that key European leaders, such as the leaders of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Finland, and the President of the European Commission, are in continuous contact through an informal but active internet text chat group named the "Washington Group." This fast and trust-based communication channel has enabled immediate coordination among them in response to Trump's unexpected actions.
According to Politico, "Keir Starmer," the British Prime Minister, "Emmanuel Macron," the French President, "Friedrich Merz," the German Chancellor, as well as "Ursula von der Leyen," the President of the European Commission, "Alexander Stubb," the leader of Finland, and "Giorgia Meloni" from Italy have regularly exchanged messages over the past year, especially during times when Trump has taken unexpected and damaging actions, often within the "Washington Group."
An informed source stated: "When developments occur rapidly, formal coordination becomes difficult, and in such situations, this informal chat group has been truly useful. This move clarifies many things about personal relationships and how important they are."
According to this report, these European leaders had shown a soft approach to "Donald Trump's" threats regarding the annexation of Greenland until his recent threats. However, they have now concluded that Trump, with his recent threats, is seeking to alter the balance of power. Even Keir Starmer, who was less critical of Trump among European officials, explicitly told him that his threats to impose punitive trade tariffs against those who obstruct the annexation of Greenland are "wrong," and he raised this criticism, including in a direct phone call with Trump on Sunday.
Another diplomat told Politico: "The 'coalition of the willing' plan was initially presented as a plan related to supporting Ukraine, but it has now led to very close relationships among some key officials in European capitals. They have managed to increase trust and willingness to cooperate among themselves. They now know each other by name and have easy access to each other in their group, sending messages to one another."
According to Politico, the recent interactive format that has emerged among European leaders has created the groundwork for forming a new security alliance among them at a time when the United States no longer supports NATO and European security. In this format, cooperation with the U.S. has not been completely abandoned for now, but it is assumed that this cooperation is no longer guaranteed.
The American newspaper also reveals that "Volodymyr Zelenskyy," the President of Ukraine, is also a member of the "Washington Group." Now, given the Ukrainian President's membership in the "Washington Group," it is assumed that Kyiv, due to possessing a large army, an advanced drone manufacturing industry, and practical war experience, could be a key element for any plan to form a new European collective security alliance. Meanwhile, NATO membership, which was once Kyiv's main aspiration, has lost its appeal with the weakening confidence in U.S. security guarantees. If Ukraine's military power were added to a military alliance with France, Germany, Poland, the UK, and other European countries, the power of the "coalition of the willing" would expand to include both nuclear and non-nuclear states.
According to Politico, the Greenland crisis has focused Europeans' minds on the question of how they can move forward without traditional reliance on the U.S.
A stronger and more independent Europe is rapidly taking shape. Proposals such as the creation of a permanent 100,000-strong EU army, the formation of a European Security Council, and the drafting of a new European security strategy have been put forward. The official goal of the European Union is to be able to defend itself by 2030.
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