What Really Worries Americans: European Values Or European Unity?

1. The recently published National Security Strategy of the United States surprises by its clear antagonism towards the European Union, as an organization which unites European Member States. The language declares that the United States are very deeply concerned about the “civilizational erasure” of Europe, and also that “the larger issues facing Europe include activities of the European Union, /…/ that undermine political liberty and sovereignty, migration policies that are transforming the continent and creating strife, censorship of free speech and suppression of political opposition, cratering birthrates, and loss of national identities and self confidence”.

2. According to Americans, – all of that is the list of “crimes” that the European Union, as a supranational organization, is perpetrating against the national Member States. And since the European Union brings such disasters for Member States, the United States are ready to help Member States to liberate themselves from this oppression by the united European Union. That is why the United States, with all its state power, are going to fight against European unity: “American diplomacy should continue to stand for genuine democracy, freedom of expression, and unapologetic celebrations of European nations’ individual character and history. America encourages its political allies in Europe to promote this revival of spirit, and the growing influence of patriotic European parties indeed gives cause for great optimism. Our goal should be to help Europe correct its current trajectory./…/ We want to work with aligned countries that want to restore their former greatness./…/ Our broad policy for Europe should prioritize:/…/cultivating resistance to Europe’s current trajectory within European nations/…/“.

3. We could see in such antagonistic language an expression of American emotions, nostalgictowards the past, to the glory years of the United States and the whole West. But it would be a mistake to see in this antagonistic language just American emotions. Antagonism towards the European Union comes not from differences in values, or real American concerns about democracy, freedom of speech or national identities in European Union or its Member States. The US National Security Strategy’s antagonistic language on the European Union comes not from American sentimental emotions about “good old Europe”, but from deep strategic considerations, very practical and very particular American strategic interests, which are in the best way described in Elbridge A. Colby’s famous book “The strategy of denial” (2021), a signed copy of which I have on my desk.

4. E.A.Colby, President Trump’s famous foreign and security policy ideologist, now serves as undersecretary of defence (war) for policy. His main message in the book – US defence strategy should be built around the strategic goal to deny any country or regional organization of countries the possibility to have a dominating or hegemonic position on any of the continents. Because that is against particular US interests, since hegemonies can “disfavor and  exclude the United States  from  reasonably free trade and access to these wealthy regions in ways that would undermine America’s core principles /…/”. That is why the USA is ready to confront Chinese dominance in Asia (that was said in 2021; not very clear whether this is still is a US strategy)  and to confront  any possibilities for the EU to become more united. Because EU unity is against USA interests. Russia deserves much less of attention, because according to Colby’s evaluations – Russia cannot become a dominant power.

5. It’s worth to read a broader passage from E.A.Colby book, devoted to the European Union, just in order to better understand his strategic logic: “The most plausible alternative to Russia as an aspiring hegemon in Europe is likely the European Union or a more cohesive entity emerging from it. Although a loose coalition of states is unlikely to be able to seize and hold hegemony because of its inherent fractiousness, a unifying superstate could. The United States itself, initially a loose confederation, evolved into a highly unified strategic actor. In the 1860s, Great Britain and France considered intervening in the American Civil War in part to prevent the rise of such a powerful superstate. Considered solely in the transatlantic context, then, the United States is therefore better off if Europe is not a highly unified superstate for the same reasons that it should oppose establishment of a cohesive hegemony over any key region of the world. This does not mean that the United States should oppose any degree of European integration. It has an interest in a Europe that is reasonably stable and can act coherently on matters of mutual concern. A Europe with the ability to ease collective action challenges and help resolve disputes is in the interests of the United States. A confederated Europe can ameliorate instability and stave off conflicts within the continent that otherwise might draw in the United States; it can also act effectively in ways beneficial to American interests. But this does not mean the United States would benefit if the European Union or a successor became a truly unified entity capable of establishing regional hegemony and unduly burdening or even excluding US trade and engagement.”

6. It appears from the National Security Strategy, that Americans are planning to fight against the European Union, against our strength through unity, since in their vision the European Union can become a threatening to American interests, – a unifying superstate. A superstate, – the same like United States became in 1860-ies, when France and Great Britain were ready to fight against such a remarkable emerging American power . It appears that both France and Great Britain were prudent enough not to make a historic mistake and decided not to oppose such an emerging power, which helped both United Kingdom and France during the 20th century. Let’s hope that also today here will be enough prudence on American soil not to fight against the emerging power of European unity.