No, Europe Won’t File for Divorce from America
The Trump administration’s decision to walk away from the Iran deal has prompted speculation that Europe might be eyeing a breakup with the United States. But don’t let its trade prowess fool you, writes Bruno Tertrais in The Guardian. The truth is divorce isn’t an option – Europe is in no position to go it alone.
“There is no available spare superpower with which Europeans would share enough interests to build a new form of alliance: China and Russia offer no such thing. Besides, transatlantic flows of trade and capital stand at the heart of the global economy, and they are irreplaceable,” Tertrais writes.
“Another reason to maintain a partnership with the US is the magnitude of the security risks Europe faces. Islamic State might be militarily defeated, but jihadist terrorism is a generational challenge: we cannot afford to turn our backs on cooperation with the US. The trauma of terrorist attacks in Europe remains vivid.
Meanwhile, “Europe can’t afford a transatlantic trade war. Its companies and banks do much more business on the other side of the Atlantic than they will ever do with Iran. If anything, this crisis should bolster calls to build up Europe’s defense capabilities.”
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