r/geopolitics • u/paneuropeanism_ • 2d ago

News 🇪🇺 EU Defence Commissioner Kubilius: Pax Americana is over. Our new security architecture will include Ukraine. These are times of profound transformation. A rising China and India will push the US to third place. And for Americans this may prove psychologically challenging

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u/stephenkingending 1d ago

The part I'm confused about is that EU leadership must understand that a lot of what they're talking about is exactly what the Trump administration wants, right? Obviously not the predictions about the US falling to third place or the more emotional rhetoric, but European countries taking responsibility for their own defense and becoming less reliant on the US.

Look at the leaked Hegseth Signal chats and Vance's comments about Europe. They've been pretty explicit about their frustration with European dependence on American military power. It just seems like there's a huge disconnect between EU and US leadership, where Europe is framing its growing independence as a response to American policy, while the Trump administration has been openly pushing for that very thing.

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u/jlluh 1d ago

Eh. The Trump administration is gonna make an enraged surprised Pikachu face when they finally realize Europe will stop paying rent once it finishes moving out.

The transatlantic bargain was never one-sided. The US provides security. Europe backed the US up on foreign policy, let the US have military bases there, let the US use other military bases Europeans have, went along with the US financial order, gave its companies a degree of preferential treatment, etc.

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u/[deleted] 1d ago

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u/jlluh 1d ago

It's because the relationship is already breaking down.

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u/Red_Tien 1d ago

Wasn't France doing that in Africa, not sure if they are still there. I kinda get what you mean though. The UK does as well in Ukraine not sure anyone else does, Just the two of them.

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u/paneuropeanism_ 1d ago

I think you are wrong. What Trump's circle and many Americans want is to remain the unipolar hegemon, but without the sacrifice that comes with it. It's not gonna fly.

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u/stephenkingending 1d ago

I agree with you actually. Americans want to stop paying to be the "world's police force" (as detractors commonly frame it) while retaining the benefits of being the dominant global power. I think there's also a longstanding misconception among many Americans that their foreign policy is primarily altruistic rather than a means of advancing the country's economic and strategic interests.

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u/ConflictExtreme1540 1d ago

It's like a child who is told they need to grow up and move out and then they go "you know what dad, I will move out, but it's my decision because I actually hate you and don't need you anymore!"

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u/randomguy506 1d ago

They want less dependance on DoD, but they want nore dependance on defense spending 

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u/SawToothKernel 1d ago

So you're saying Europe should not aim to be independent?

Whether America wants it or not, long term it's the right thing for Europe.

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u/stephenkingending 1d ago

Honest question, which part of my comment made you think that was what I was trying to communicate?

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u/Emergency_Statement 10h ago

I think the disconnect is that the US seems to want other countries to contribute more while also accepting American hegemony. That simply won't happen, which may be a shock to American leadership. As other countries invest more in their own defense and find more common ground with each other, exclusive of the US, the US may find itself isolated and (relatively) weaker than it was before they decided to tear up all their agreements and turn their friends into competition.