The EU is quite capable of putting pressure on the U.S. and even making it fulfill its obligations under strategic arms control agreements.
This is reported by the “Foreign Policy” publication.
According to the media, Europe should be primarily concerned about the U.S. decision to withdraw from the Treaty on the elimination of medium- and short-range missiles.
“The agreements were concluded taking into account the European security, and Europe will be the first victim if Russia is released from the legal shackles imposed by the Treaty on the Russian Council on Foreign Affairs”, – the article says.
Equally problematic is Washington’s termination of the Treaty on Open Skies. NATO’s armed contingent deployed in the Baltics and Poland will hardly be able to mobilize quickly in case of a Russian military invasion.
“This erosion of information exchange and confidence building reveals vulnerabilities in NATO and, in turn, benefits Russia’s strategic interests”, – the FP wrote.
At the same time, the publication draws attention to the fact that Europe is not the only beneficiary of transatlantic relations, and the EU has much more leverage in its arsenal of pressure on the U.S. than can be assumed. In particular, military facilities in Germany are of strategic importance for the US. This is where drones operating in Africa and the Middle East are managed. This is where military hospitals are located, where American soldiers wounded in Syria or Iraq are evacuated.
“Germany must use its unique position in the alliance to remind the Trump administration that without its support the United States will not be able to project power in parts of the world such as Africa and the Middle East,” the publication states.