US National Security Strategy Warns of 'Civilizational Decline' in Europe

Key Takeaways:

• Warning of 'civilizational decline' in Europe.
• Criticism of EU's economic and immigration policies.
• Call for a restoration of Europe's 'past glory'.
• Concerns about Europe's ability to remain a reliable ally.
• Diverging views on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The US National Security Strategy, released by the White House, includes a stark warning about the future of Europe, suggesting that the continent is facing a “civilizational decline” and calling for dramatic course corrections if it wishes to remain a reliable ally of the United States. This statement is the latest in a series of pronouncements from US officials and policymakers that undermine long-held assumptions about the relationship between Europe and its strongest ally, the United States, in the post-war era. The document asserts that “our goal should be to help Europe correct its current trajectory,” adding that the US wishes to “partner with allied nations seeking to restore their past glory.” The National Security Strategy is a document periodically released by the US administration that outlines the President’s vision for the nation, including priorities, threats, and proposed strategies for addressing those challenges. The document includes a foreword signed by former President Donald Trump, who described it as a “roadmap for ensuring the United States remains the greatest and most successful nation in the history of mankind.” Some of the wording in the document echoes a speech given by former Vice President Mike Pence in Munich in February, which sent shockwaves through European capitals. Pence expressed deep concern about “internal threats” facing Europe, and what he described as a “departure from shared values with the United States.” The strategy document notes that the United States remains “nostalgic” for European nations, including Britain and Ireland, and asserts that “the characteristics of these nations are also strategically vital.” In addition to pointing out Europe’s weak economy, the document accuses the EU of undermining political freedoms and sovereignty, restricting free speech, suppressing political opposition, and implementing immigration policies that are “changing the continent of Europe.” The document adds that if current trends continue, Europe will become “unrecognizable” in 20 years or less, and that “whether certain European nations possess sufficient economic and military strength to continue serving as reliable allies, remains far from clear.” The document suggests that the transformation of some NATO member states into countries with a “non-European majority” in a few decades is “highly probable,” and that whether these countries will view the alliance in the same way is an “open question.” The European Commission declined to comment on the document. A European diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “The tone towards Europe is not optimistic. It’s even worse than Pence’s speech in Munich in February.” European politicians and officials are angered by this tone from Washington, but they remain heavily reliant on US military support, as they rush to rebuild neglected militaries to counter the perceived threat from Russia. The document asserts that a negotiated swift resolution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict and rebuilding “strategic stability” with Russia is in the strategic interests of the United States. The document suggests that the Trump administration differed with European officials who had “unrealistic expectations” about the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and adds that many have trampled basic democratic principles to suppress internal opposition. “Most Europeans want peace, but this desire has not translated into policies, in large part because of these governments’ subversion of the democratic process,” the document states.