Brussels, Belgium – European Council President Antonio Costa stated that the European Union cannot accept “threats of interference” in its internal affairs. This came in response to the new US National Security Strategy, which was highly critical of Europeans, according to Agence France-Presse.
“What we cannot accept is this threat of interference in the political life of Europe,” Costa said in a speech at the Jacques Delors Institute. He emphasized that “the United States cannot replace European citizens.”
Trump turns skepticism into official policy
The National Security Strategy document, released by the White House this week, has transformed President Donald Trump’s skeptical views of Europe into official policy. The move has been described as reshaping the transatlantic relationship and placing European leaders at a strategic crossroads.
According to a report published by The New York Times, Trump has for years accused European allies of failing to adequately fund their own defense. He has also labeled the European Union an “economic adversary.”
A call for Europe to assume “primary responsibility”
But the new document goes further, calling on European countries to assume “primary responsibility” for their own security. It clearly indicates that the United States is no longer obligated to guarantee the continent’s security absolutely.
Costa’s statements confirm the European rejection of this new tone and the demand for full respect for the sovereignty of political decisions within the Union.
