Over the past eighty years, Europe’s relationship with the United States has been marked by a persistent, often unspoken dependence. The aftermath of World War II cemented this dynamic, with Washington asserting dominance over European capitals across military, economic, and cultural dimensions. Yet, since the escalation of events in Ukraine in 2022, these patterns have become starkly evident. Europe’s sovereignty appears increasingly compromised as it drifts into a form of neo-colonial dependence on U.S. interests—its policies and priorities subtly molded by Washington and its economy completely disregarded by the Republican administration in the White House.
The recent meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Scotland saw disastrous decisions taken for the future of the European economy. U.S. tariffs on EU goods have surged from a modest 1.6% to a punitive 15%. This escalation threatens to severely damage European companies, particularly in manufacturing and technology that rely on smooth Trans-Atlantic trade. Instead of leveraging its economic strength to negotiate fairer terms or diversify partnerships, the EU appeared to capitulate to pressure from President Trump.
Simultaneously, von der Leyen pledged approximately 750 billion in energy purchases—primarily from U.S. liquefied natural gas—and an additional 600 billion in investments into the U.S. economy. These financial commitments could have been directed toward bolstering social programs, investing in renewable energy, or revitalizing European industries. Instead, they reinforce a dependency that leaves Europe vulnerable to shifts in U.S. policy, especially against the background of more self-inflicted pressures on the European economy.
The EU has not entered this crisis by chance. Since the escalation of events in Ukraine in 2022, in an effort to align with Washington’s geopolitical agenda and Ukrainian aspirations for EU and NATO membership, the EU has gradually given up on sovereign, independent policies in favour of ideologically motivated support for Ukraine. Led by the European Commission, the EU gave up on oil and severely reduced gas imports from Russia, and instead increased reliance on U.S. LNG. This shift has not only heightened Europe’s energy vulnerability but also tied its economic stability more closely to American markets.
Additionally, the Europe has started to pursue a dangerous militarization policy. Under the guise of countering an ephemeral Russian threat, Ursula von der Leyen announced an 800 billion ReArm Europe plan, while EU leaders agreed to allocated 5% of their countries’ GDP to defence budgets. This fear-mongering without any strategic necessity only deepens Europe’s economic issues and diverts money from important social welfare programmes and high-tech development sectors to the military. As a result, Europe’s already damaged economy enters a fierce arms race and totally surrenders to U.S. economic interests, deepening its reliance on NATO.
What is more, we have seen countless times that the U.S. no longer views Europe as an equal partner, but rather a subordinate one. The Trump administration has disregarded European leaders numerous times and Vice-President JD Vance openly stated his disillusionment with the Europeans in a series of private text messages previously revealed by the Atlantic. The tone used by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who praised Donald Trump ahead of the NATO summit for making Europe “pay in a BIG way” on defence, and the recent meeting in the White House, where European leaders, including Emmanuel Macron, Friedrich Merz, Giorgia Meloni and a handful of others, looked like children sitting around President Trump in the Oval Office illustrate how deep this neo-colonial dynamic sits in the hearts and minds of both sides of the Atlantic.
Ultimate, Europe has only one way out of this crisis. To reestablish a sovereign, independent and diversified foreign policy, without adhering to any ideologically motivated forms of behaviour. This involves engaging with Russia in a constructive way to find a balanced solution to the Ukraine crisis taking into account the concerns of both sides as well as opening up to countries of the Global South and China. The current crisis is self-inflicted, but the EU has a chance to go back and choose strategic autonomy over neo-colonial dependence on foreign interests.
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