European political identity has always been formed under the influence of international crises and historical cataclysms, and now this process is becoming particularly pronounced. The events of yesterday evening in the Oval Office marked a new turning point in relations between Europe and the United States: the transatlantic split on the issue of the war in Ukraine is intensifying.
The Trump administration, as soon as it came to power, began to demand that European countries take on the main burden of security support for Ukraine. Added to this was the threat of 25 percent tariffs on European exports to the USA, as well as increased pressure on Kyiv to demand concessions from Moscow. Not only strategic interests are under threat, but also the very values on which the European project is based. Europe can no longer rely on the US to automatically guarantee its security. On the contrary, it must demonstrate readiness for independent political and military leadership at the regional and global levels.
Whether Europe can meet this challenge depends on the political will and the ability of its leaders to act together. In this turbulent environment, the importance of European unity increases many times over. Although the European Union unites 27 states, its position is only part of a wider continental response. The approach of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who emphasizes European identity in conversations with Trump, became symbolic. This issue goes far beyond security and defense.
It is in this context that emergency meetings of European leaders should be considered. London is emerging as a key venue for preliminary talks ahead of a major EU meeting in Brussels next week. Prior to this, talks with Trump had already been held by Emmanuel Macron. The increased level of coordination among European states indicates that they see the current moment as critical for determining Europe’s future political trajectory. And increasing tensions with Washington only emphasize the urgency of these negotiations.
The EU representative’s visit to Washington was cancelled
From the many incidents of recent days, we can see that the Trump administration does not hesitate to use economic pressure and diplomatic maneuvers to advance its own interests. And it is not only about the Trump-Zelensky confrontation.
An important signal was also the recent cancellation of the visit of the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy Kaia Callas to the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during her trip to Washington. This is reported by the publication Political. The official version is “scheduling problems”, but for European diplomats it looks like another step by Trump, aimed at demonstrating that the EU is not an equal partner for him.
The episode with the representative of the EU only emphasizes the depth of the transatlantic split regarding the war in Ukraine. Callas was expected to discuss with Rubio the U.S. position on negotiations with Moscow, especially after Trump began openly pushing for compromises that could benefit Russia. However, it appears that the new administration in the White House is not interested in demonstrating unity with Europe in this direction.
As one of the EU diplomats noted, the canceled meeting proves once again that Washington does not see Brussels as an independent player in this game. This is not just a diplomatic incident – it is a manifestation of a broader trend in which the US is distancing itself from a common strategy with Europe and instead is shaping its own agenda in matters of security and geopolitics.
Europe is strengthening its independence from the US
After the diplomatic scandal during the visit of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi to the USA, European politicians are increasingly speaking about the need to strengthen Europe’s independence. Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, a member of the European Parliament from the Free Democratic Party of Germany, emphasizes that the EU can no longer rely solely on the United States.
“As a staunch transatlanticist, I do not say this lightly, but it is time to strengthen our independence from the US“, she said in interview Deutsche Presse-Agentur. The politician calls on Europe to demonstrate strength and act more decisively in relations with Ukraine: “We have to show our teeth. We need to conclude agreements with Ukraine, form economic priorities and rethink Europe’s role in the world“.
Strack-Zimmermann is particularly indignant at the situation in which the United States is putting pressure on Zelenskyi. “This is simply unthinkable – such methods are frankly shameful, even absurd“, she noted. She emphasized that while Russia continues its aggression, the Trump administration actually reverses roles, forcing Ukraine to justify itself, while the aggressor remains unpunished. Such a policy only plays into the hands of Vladimir Putin.
In this context, the reaction of Europe acquires special importance. Trump’s approach forces European leaders to rethink their strategy and strengthen their own role in international politics.
Starmer tries to ease the tension
After a tense incident at the White House between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi and US President Donald Trump, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is trying to take on the role of mediator.
According to the British Prime Minister’s office in Downing Street, Starmer held phone conversations with both Zelenskyi and Trump after the Ukrainian president left the White House prematurely.
“He remains unwavering in his support for Ukraine and is doing everything he can to find a path to sustainable peace based on Ukraine’s sovereignty and security“, – said the representative of Downing Street.
Such a gesture on the part of London reflects the desire of Great Britain to preserve the unity of the West in supporting Ukraine, despite the increasingly controversial approach of the Trump administration. Whether Starmer will be able to become the voice that eases transatlantic tensions is currently an open question, but his active involvement in the dialogue indicates an attempt to shape an alternative European course in the settlement of the war.
All except Orban
After the diplomatic scandal in the White House, numerous European leaders expressed their support for Zelenskyi. Among them were French President Emmanuel Macron, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. They publicly supported Zelensky, emphasizing his dignity and courage in resisting aggression.
President of the European Council Antonio Costa invited Zelenskyi to participate in the summit of EU leaders, scheduled for March 6, which indicates further support of Ukraine from European partners.
In general, more than 30 leaders of European states and institutions expressed their solidarity with Ukraine at this critical moment. The only European leader who went against the trend is Viktor Orban, who has a clear pro-Russian position.
Your support for Ukraine expressed and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. He assured that Australia will continue to support Ukraine as long as necessary.
What can Europe do in the long term?
The question is how Europe should respond if diplomatic efforts and concessions no longer work. German Vice-Chancellor Robert Habek called for a large-scale reform in Europe and the adoption of faster decisions. This implies the willingness of national governments to transfer more powers to the EU level.
However, the current situation with Ukraine’s support demonstrates the absence of a single European line. Often, EU member states cannot agree on the type of weapons that should be transferred to Kyiv, as well as on the amount of aid. Without a common strategy, it will be impossible to guarantee the security of Europe.
One option that has been discussed for years is the creation of a common European army. However, this project remains unrealistic, because its implementation requires the unanimous consent of all 27 EU states, including the government of Hungary under the leadership of the pro-Russian Viktor Orban.
A more achievable goal is the deepening of military coordination between the already existing armed forces of European countries. This can be done through the unification of standards, joint production and procurement of weapons, and enhanced defense cooperation.
According to the data European Council on Foreign Relations, already in 2023, the combined defense costs of NATO countries in Europe and EU members exceeded Russia’s by four times. European armed forces outnumber those of the US and Russia, and the region’s defense industry produces some of the most advanced weapons systems. In addition, five European countries – France, Germany, Italy, Great Britain and Spain – are among the largest arms exporters in the world.
Thus, Europe has the necessary resources to strengthen its own defense. The only question is whether the continent’s leaders will be able to overcome political contradictions and develop a joint strategy that will allow the EU to act as a single military-political force independent of Washington’s decisions.
In addition, there is already a general agreement among EU countries on the need to increase defense spending. In response to growing security challenges, Brussels is actively working on plans to help strengthen the common European defense policy and make it more autonomous.
Defense White Paper and other initiatives
In the middle of this month, the European Commission will present White paper on defense issues, which will outline the key military capabilities that Brussels believes the EU should jointly invest in. The document will also propose ways to finance these projects, which will allow EU countries to coordinate their defense spending more effectively.
In addition, in the coming weeks, the European Commission plans to present proposals for an “exit clause” mechanism that would allow member states to take on new debt obligations to finance defense needs without the threat of falling under the EU’s excessive deficit procedure. In an emergency the summit of European leaders in Paris on February 17, 2025, an agreement was reached on changing the EU’s fiscal rules, which will allow for an increase in defense spending.
Such steps indicate that Europe is aware of the new reality and is looking for tools to strengthen its own resilience. However, the question remains open: will the EU be able not only to find funding, but also to overcome the bureaucratic barriers and internal political disagreements that have so far prevented the creation of real defense independence?
