Anticipating Europe’s Nuclear Futures

The credibility of the United States as the “ultimate guarantor” of peace and stability on the European continent has come under question in recent years as domestic politics and ideology have motivated US foreign policy decisions. While the Biden administration is currently supporting Ukraine and bolstering the US troop presence in Europe under NATO’s framework, the administration’s primary strategic focus remains on China. Meanwhile, there is a powerful faction within the Republican Party that would rather see the US distance itself or withdraw entirely from NATO. Case in point: during his first term, Trump questioned the value of the alliance and almost withdrew from it. Moreover, as the next presidential election looms, assistance to war-torn Ukraine has become politically contested in the US Congress. According to Republican US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson, voting on the proposed $95 billion aid package to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan was not urgent.

Furthermore, on February 10, Trump said at a campaign rally that he would “encourage” the Russians to do “whatever the hell they want” with NATO allies that did not spend enough on their military. In response to Trump’s statement, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg stated that “Any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the U.S., and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk,” and European Council President Charles Michel described Trump’s statement as “reckless”.

The rest of this article can be found on the Taylor&Francis Online website.

(Photo credit: Pexels, Suzy Hazelwood)