During his first major meeting with leaders of allied nations in June 2021, Joe Biden wanted to make sure that the Trumpian era of berating allies was over. He said, "America is back." The French President was asked the same question by other leaders.
A year and a half later, that anxiety still exists. Even after Biden took the lead in corralling a unified response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine and increased American troop presence in Europe, there is still a nagging sense of unease that the long-term U.S. commitment to Europe's security remains too vulnerable to the
Last month was a wakeup call for many. Several Trump-backed candidates were skeptical of the U.S. involvement in Ukraine. European leaders and diplomats were relieved when isolationism didn't overtake Congress despite a Republican red wave.
Donald Trump wants to walk away from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and Europe's leaders are worried about what the presidential election will mean for the U.S. Efforts to get the U.S. to bolster NATO as much as possible in the next two years have been made more urgent by that.
Franois Heisbourg is a strategic analyst and advisor to the Foundation for Strategic Research. Changes in nature are now the concern.
Europe needed to rely less on the U.S. military for its own defense because of that concern, which played into the hands of the guest of honor at Biden's first state dinner, France's President. There will be an international meeting in Paris on December 13 where the goal is to strengthen support for NATO and Ukraine.
The French President uses a White House visit to voice his displeasure with two US laws.
NATO has increased its troop presence on Russia's western flank from four to eight. Upgrading missile and aircraft systems is one of the things NATO countries are considering. 73 years later, two countries close to Russia are ready to join the alliance. NATO's "open door policy" and willingness for Ukraine to eventually join the alliance has incensed Putin in the past.
NATO moved to shift its strategic posture away from only being equipped to respond to an incursion by Russian troops, and more toward mobilizing to deter a future invasion by creating enough of a military presence along Russia's border. Deterrence by denial is a strategy used.
According to Sophia Besch, a fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the strategic shift in Europe came about because of fear that the political changes inside the US might eventually erode American commitments to NATO. There is a sense in France that the European pillar in NATO will be strengthened if the US attention shifts away from Europe.
Getting European militaries to build up their fighting power is one way to do that.
As Republicans prepare to take control of the House in January, they will be looking more closely at US funding for the war inUkraine. Kevin McCarthy said in October that Americans wouldn't support writing a "blank check" on Ukraine. Daniel S. Hamilton is a fellow at the Brookings Institution. There is bipartisan support in Congress for providing military assistance to the Ukrainians. There is a consensus among the Republicans in the Senate and the House on lethal aid to Ukraine.
According to Heisbourg, the political parties in power in Europe are mostly supporting Ukrainians. Heisbourg says, "You have the division within practically every country, including the US, with those who think this should be settled as soon as possible." There is no place where that part of public opinion is in control.
The international conference on Ukraine will be hosted by the French President in Paris next week. There is a question of how long the war in Ukraine will last and the terms under which Putin and Zelensky might suspend the conflict. As winter sets in, Putin has sent missiles to destroy water and heating systems in Ukraine. Zelensky continues to hold to the line that his country is committed to fighting until Russian troops retreat from Ukrainian soil.
If Putin wanted to end the war, Biden said he would be willing to sit down with him. Biden wouldn't talk to Putin if he didn't consult his NATO allies. Biden said he wouldn't do it on his own.
There is a report from VIVIENNE WALT/PARIS.
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