Europe is not going to let itself get “thrown out” of the negotiation process and is ready to take action

Photo source: Office of the President

The Saudi negotiations between the United States and Moscovia shocked Europe and Ukraine, as they were designed to throw Europe out as a minor geopolitical player and Ukraine as a party that would prevent the Trump administration from reaching separate agreements with Putin behind the backs of its allies.

Obviously, Trump's steps and his systemic rhetoric indicate that he does not consider Europe a full-fledged partner. Trump is using the concept of Europe from his first term. But the Europe of 2016 and the Europe of 2025 are two different Europes, two different states. In 2025, Europe has not only realized its own responsibility for security, but is also ready to make specific steps that will not allow the US to ignore Brussels and London.

The idea of defense subjectivity was actively promoted by Macron during his first term, but with the UK's exit from the EU, Merkel's government in Germany, and defense-amorphous governments in Spain and Italy, it was impossible to talk about the possibility of building a coherent, updated security strategy across Europe.

But today Europe has other features that Trump is not ready to accept and see:

1. A high level of cross-European coordination against the backdrop of communication with the White House.

Before Trump's inauguration, the leaders of European countries: France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Poland, Italy, and the EU leadership agreed that they would pursue a unified position in communicating with Trump. In practice, this has already demonstrated that these are not empty words: regarding Trump's customs threats, all EU leaders issued unified statements ranging from warning to condemnation.

The second public manifestation of joint coordination and a common position was the Paris Statement, in which France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Poland, Germany, and the EU declared a unified position on the impossibility of separate agreements with Moscovia on the part of the United States, and confirmed that European countries would continue to support Ukraine despite the White House's policy.

The third public manifestation of joint coordination was the reaction of European defense ministers to Ramstein. While the U.S. Secretary of Defense Hegseth criticized and manipulated statements about freedom in Europe, issued ultimatums and threats, European leaders continued to jointly adhere to the established policy: “The security of Europe and Ukraine cannot be addressed without Brussels and Kyiv”. This position of the EU was confirmed by London.

 2. The “defense deal” between the UK and the EU.

London increasingly prefers to coordinate on defense issues with more predictable allies in Europe than in Washington. The UK intends to reach a grand bargain with the EU, including in the defense sector.

But the UK-EU defense deal will only start moving forward after the German elections. Previously, negotiations were conducted with Scholz, but the German election campaign and the low probability that Scholz will not hold the post of chancellor are slowing down the process.

It is now known that Prime Minister Starmer's office is holding informal talks with Ursula von der Leyen and potential new Chancellor Merz.

As part of this process, on February 3, the UK Prime Minister held talks with EU leaders in Brussels, where the topic was “the security of Europe, the need to increase aid to Ukraine and to increase pressure on Kremlin, as Moscow's economy is experiencing major problems.”

The next day, Prime Minister Starmer joined the Heads of Government Dinner in Brussels, a first for British prime ministers since Brexit.  According to British analytical centers, “on the menu: transatlantic relationships (what to do with Trump) and defense issues.”

3. Europe is ready to create a half-trillion-euro defense fund.

After the German elections, the EU's half-trillion-euro defense bonds are set to receive a powerful boost, as strengthening defense is at the center of the potential winner Merz's program

For a long time, the Scholz administration has been one of the main opponents of defense borrowing into the EU's common debt of more than €500 billion. In contrast, the likely new chancellor, Merz, has stated that he will reconsider the German veto, as he is not against the use of joint borrowing for European defense needs.

If the EU manages to agree on the issuance of bonds for defense needs, this will allow the EU to take a stronger position in communication with the United States.

So while the US is conducting separate negotiations with Moscow in an obvious attempt to throw Europe out of the process, Europe has and is implementing a series of measures that will not allow the EU to be ignored as an important geopolitical player in the world, especially when it comes to the stability and security of Europe.