Growing Diplomatic Disagreements Between Europe and the US and the Challenges Ahead
# Prem Sagar Poudel
US-European relations have been strained following US Vice President J.D. Vance’s controversial speech at the Munich Security Conference (MSC). European leaders including Germany and France have reacted strongly after he criticized Europe’s democracy, immigration policy, and freedom of expression.
Criticizing Vance’s comments, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that no one should instruct Germany and Europe. French Foreign Minister Jean Noël Barrot also defended European policies, saying that Europe can determine its own policies.
Vance claimed that Europe’s greatest challenge is not external but internal democratic erosion, accusing Europe of straying from core American values. His statements have further strained US-European relations. In particular, the Trump administration’s controversial policies on steel and aluminum tariffs, the Gaza issue, and the controversial policy taken in the Ukraine crisis are making European leaders uncomfortable.
During his visit to Europe, Vance met with the leader of Germany’s far-right party Alternative for Deutschland (AfD). This meeting has sparked a huge debate in German political circles, because the Trump administration has been supporting right-wing populist parties in Europe. Vance’s no meeting with German Chancellor Scholz has also been seen as a diplomatic message.
According to Chinese international affairs experts, the Trump administration’s growing ties with right-wing forces appear to have serious implications for traditional US-European relations. According to Cui Hongjian, a professor at Beijing Foreign Studies University, The Trump administration has moved closer to right-wing groups, ignoring mainstream European political parties.
According to Dong Yifan, a researcher at Xinjiang University, these steps by the Trump administration have changed the traditional view to the United States as a reliable partner for Europe. “This has damaged the long standing political trust between the US and Europe, causing not only diplomatic tensions but also discomfort in general relations,” he said.
According to the BBC, this year’s Munich Security Conference was expected to focus mainly on the Ukraine crisis and European defense spending. However, senior US officials attending the conference did not discuss these issues and instead prioritized internal European issues, which appears to have further complicated US-European relations.
According to Chinese analysts, this growing tension between the US and Europe is likely to create a new equation in the international diplomatic landscape. In particular, how China, Russia, and other emerging powers exploit this situation will be decisive for future international relations.
