Trans-Atlantic ties face Trump threat The Statesman 16 Dec 2025
https://epaper.thestatesman.com/4094255/Kolkata-The-Statesman/16TH-DECEMBER-2025#page/10/2
Trans-Atlantic ties face Trump threat The Statesman 16 Dec 2025
Quietly hitting back at the US for its claims of Europe ‘decaying’ and its leaders ‘weak,’ the EU indefinitely froze USD 246 Billion of Russian assets held by it. This offset Trump’s Ukraine peace plan as also prevented Hungary and Slovakia, nations close to Russia, from vetoing further rolling of the freeze. This decision angered Moscow and Washington.
The recently released US National Security Strategy (NSS) had mentioned, ‘We want to support our allies in preserving the freedom and security of Europe, while restoring Europe’s civilizational self-confidence and Western identity.’ Moving further, it blamed the EU for ‘undermining political liberty, sovereignty, migration policies, censorship, suppression of political opposition, loss of national identities and self-confidence,’ adding, ‘the continent will be unrecognizable in 20 years or less.’
This was not the end of the tirade. In an interview to The Politico, shortly after release of the NSS, Trump lambasted European leaders by stating, ‘I think they’re weak,’ adding, ‘But I also think they want to be so politically correct. I think they don’t know what to do. Europe doesn’t know what to do.’
President of the European Council, António Costa, responded by mentioning, ‘Allies do not threaten to interfere in domestic political choices of their allies.’ He believes that the US and EU do not have similar views on the international order. Others generally ignored the comments.
Trump is so caught up in his MAGA (Make America Great Again) campaign that he believes that he alone can ‘Make Europe Great Again.’ His assumption is that Europe is unlikely to increase its defence spending to 5% of its GDP by 2035, of which 3.5% would go towards military capabilities and the balance towards cyber and infrastructure. Spain was the first to turn down this demand. In retaliation, Trump threatened Spain with additional tariffs as also expelling it from NATO.
The anger of Trump is largely directed against the EU, rather than NATO, as it has displayed unity in standing alongside Ukraine against his peace plan for concluding the Russo-Ukraine conflict, thereby denying him the Nobel Peace Prize. The US will covertly work to break the EU in the coming years, by cozying upto Italy, Hungary, Poland and Austria. In addition, was the issue of frozen Russian funds.
On the EU rejecting his peace plan the NSS mentioned, ‘This lack of self-confidence is most evident in Europe’s relationship with Russia,’ adding, ‘The Trump Administration finds itself at odds with European officials who hold unrealistic expectations for the war perched in unstable minority governments, many of which trample on basic principles of democracy to suppress opposition.’
Last week, leaders from Germany, France and UK met with Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian president, and offered support against Trump’s plan which involved Ukraine handing over territory to Russia as part of the peace deal. A frustrated Trump mentioned in his Politico interview, ‘They talk, but they don’t produce, and the war just keeps going on and on.’
Post a joint call with heads of state of Germany, France and the UK, Trump tweeted, ‘we discussed Ukraine in pretty strong words.’ European leaders have sent an updated plan for ending the conflict to Trump. Zelensky subsequently held a virtual discussion with leaders and representatives of 30 nations (part of the coalition of the willing) to gain support against Trump’s proposal.
Facing corruption charges, Zelenskyy is under pressure from Trump to conduct elections, which he has banned under the pretext of the conflict. On this, Trump mentioned, ‘they (Ukraine) talk about a democracy, but it gets to a point where it’s not a democracy anymore.’ Zelenskyy offered to hold elections, provided it was provided guarantees by the US and Europe that elections would go unhindered by Russian actions.
On Russia’s frozen funds, the US was pressurizing EU nations against utilizing these funds to back future loans to Ukraine. The US believes that such an action would prolong the conflict as also reduce chances of a peace deal. Russia claims that the funds are approximately USD 300-350 Billion, comprising of bank accounts, securities, real estate and yachts, however does not provide details. Most of it is in Europe with majority controlled by Euroclear, a central securities depository in Brussels. The US controls just about USD 5 billion.
The EU believes that ‘the US can only decide about assets held in its own jurisdiction.’ Russia is also critical of the EUs plans. Belgium believes that exploiting frozen assets to loan funds to Ukraine could result in litigation. There are already multiple cases, ongoing in Moscow, against the EU freezing Russian assets.
Trump’s counter proposal includes USD 100 Billion of frozen assets being employed for ‘US-led efforts to rebuild and invest in Ukraine’. Europe would contribute a similar amount from its own resources. Balance funds would be invested in joint US-Russia ventures aimed at ‘creating a strong incentive not to return to conflict.’ The US plan envisages benefitting US companies, its government and Russia. Europe’s counter proposal is exploiting these funds for loans for sustenance of Ukraine as also its reconstruction.
An added irritant is EU imposing USD 140 million penalty on Elon Musk’s X platform. Trump’s initial reaction was that the fine was ‘nasty.’ He added, ‘Europe has to be careful. It is going in some bad directions.’ The EU is targeting Elon Musk’s Blue checkmark system, which enables, ‘manipulation by malicious actors.’ Other US tech giants are also on the EU hit list.
Trump only responds to strength. He was forced to accept China as a peer basically because of its stranglehold on rare earth minerals. Trump seeks rapprochement with Russia and an economic rebalancing with China. On the contrary he considers Europe as weak and hence attempts to bully it.
The NSS also highlights, ‘We will no longer tolerate, and can no longer afford, free-riding, trade imbalances, predatory economic practices, and other impositions on our nation’s historic goodwill that disadvantage our interests.’ Evidently, under Trump, the US will link all relations with allies based on trade.
Europe, in his opinion is incapable of defending itself and piggybacks on the US. By threatening Europe on security, Trump is able to push his agenda forcefully. European leaders are aware of reality and hence have little choice as their own military power is low, while they believe the Russian threat looms large. The EU will fight back but will it remain firm, under Trump’s threats, is to be seen.