America is more than the Era-Trump, and the TRANS-Atlantic relations should continue, writes the Romanian Analyst Radu Magdin. Eastern Europe plays a key role.
The power politics on both sides of the Atlantic seems to oscillate between Farce and Drama. Anyone who pays attention at all to take account of China and Russia within the West, the differences are so obvious and mutual trust disappears? Due to the aggressive behavior of Russia in the Azov sea, we are reminded, though, of what really matters. A new and fertile balance between the US and the EU is possible?
At no other time since the Cold war, a new large-scale project of the West more than it is today. The main points begin with a strong NATO and a thriving TRANS-Atlantic relationship with a renewed TTIP-Treaty. To restore confidence, are often small, but significant, projects in demand. Eastern Europe would have to offer solutions. In geopolitical expert circles the idea that the East”, is easy to there is growing”. The great power struggles in this part of the world of flames after almost 30 years – and the West must act.
Eastern Europe expects to see more of Brussels and Berlin
Western Europe makes it easy to and is paralyzed from his attempts to find a new balance. As Sigmar Gabriel said in an Interview with Ian Bremmer, Europe cannot live today with Trump, but also not without the USA. However, the architects of a new transatlantic relationship should not turn a blind eye to what happens between the Adriatic, the Baltic and the Black sea. The recent crises have shown that a resolute Intervention in the early Phase of a crisis can cause, rather than the consequences of inaction.
The Americans are still active in the Region and to understand seem to be what this is all about – not only economically, but also politically and militarily. From Brussels and Berlin is expected in Eastern Europe. As epicenters of European policy, both should be fighting especially attentive to the power around Eastern Europe. Many countries in the Region are already members of the EU, and the direct neighborhood also plays an important role. Various regional cooperation formats provide a kind of foretaste of possible alliances of the future.
The Chinese charm Offensive is in full swing and the 16+1 Format (a platform for deepening cooperation between China and 16 Central and Eastern European countries) is rather a kind of umbrella organization for bilateral relations, which are based on key investment projects. Politically, these appear to be completely harmless. The Three-oceans-Initiative leads to a response to the “two-speed Europe”, the French President Emmanuel Macron wants to. The Visegrad countries (Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia) have not recognized that you are with the retreat of the West alone. It is also for this reason, the new project of Three seas-the Initiative is created. More: strong Russian influence in some of the States of the Visegrad group, the Western Balkans and the Eastern partnership should concern everyone that still remembers the Soviet Era.
A new balance between the US and the EU is possible?
Challenges posed by Russia
The problems do not stop at the EU borders: The neighbourhood policy remains a hot iron, if she is not brave enough. The leaders of the Western Balkans and the Eastern partnership will continue to be considered on the basis of an unstable equilibrium, with the main difference that the Balkan countries have a European perspective for the year 2025. Large-scale strategies are missing, the events get us. The realists see the Ukraine as a Nuisance for the West, their Mantra: “It is not our fight.” Value-oriented citizens are of a different opinion, for them, Ukraine is of Central importance, and not only a testing ground for major powers.
The recent incidents in the Azov sea have not changed the Situation completely. For Brussels and Washington, the question is whether you deal with the Ukraine is right or wrong creates a precedent. By this Dilemma, the transatlantic partners are able to recognize the severity of the challenge posed by Russia. After Georgia and Ukraine, there is no guarantee that Russia will not feel encouraged to take one of the Baltic States or other NATO allies to target. You need to have a closed Front for a “containment 2.0”. The statements of the US Secretary of state, Mike Pompeo in Brussels can be seen as the beginning of a reconstruction project. Not the mother of reinvention. For the Rest of the Trumps mandate, there will be a of the competitive cooperation between Brussels and Washington, but the security policy should always be under the sign of the close cooperation.
In Central and Eastern Europe, in addition to energy and industrial policy the common security and defence. The EU needs a new strategy for its Engagement in the East and have an honest discussion with these countries via the red lines. This should ensure that Europe comes out ahead of the crises in its own backyard. It is hardly conceivable that such a debate without the United States could be guided.
Representatives of Germany as well as EU Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker. in the autumn on the summit of the Three-oceans-Initiative in Bucharest: This is a good sign, the more steps should follow If you work together, America and Western Europe have their old love story will revive and Russia of similar actions in the Ukraine to stop. Would it not be better to act to talk to each other and coordinated, instead of complaining individually about competition with China and threats from Russia? It is high time that real professionals take on both sides of the Atlantic, their joint work.
Radu Magdin is a Romanian Analyst and policy adviser. Among other things, he has advised the Prime Minister of Romania (2014-2015) and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova (2016-2017). From 2007 to 2012, he worked in Brussels for the European Parliament, EurActiv and Google. He belongs to the working group of the “NATO Emerging Leaders” of the Atlantic Council of the United States.