• This Monday, the 27 defended France in the submarine crisis, pointing the finger at the disloyal behavior of the United States.

  • A very rare European defense at this level, especially against the world's leading power.

  • Is Europe in the process of unifying durably, independently of the United States?

It seems that it is in difficult times that you recognize your true friends, and that may well be what France is currently experiencing. Trapped in the submarine crisis, which saw Australia terminate "the contract of the century" in favor of American ships, Paris saw the European Union come to its rescue on Monday. The 27 denounced "a lack of loyalty" of the Americans, through the voice of the President of the European Council Charles Michel, when the same day, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, deemed "unacceptable" the treatment of France .

Such an outcry on the part of the Europeans is rare, a fortiori against the United States, and moreover on the subject of Defense, not really the subject on which the Europeans agree the most among themselves.

From there to seeing an opportunity for the 27 to unite and overcome historic divisions, there is only one step.

The end of naivety?

"This can become one of those historic moments when European solidarity is strengthened", hopes Joséphine Staron, doctor of political philosophy at the Sorbonne and director of studies and international relations of the Synopia think tank. Beyond the submarine crisis, another recent event may pave the way for a stronger union of Europeans: the precipitous disorganized and unilateral departure of the Americans from Afghanistan, "brutally showing that the United States had no consideration for their allies ”, attests the researcher. Who denies any fixate on the Americans in particular: “Europe only learns realpolitik: each country defends its interests above all. To get by, she can only count on herself. "

The end also of another naivety, that of thinking that the unilateralism of the United States was the result only of Trumpism.

Joséphine Staron continues: “America first goes back to Barack Obama, continued with Trump, and is today continued by Joe Biden.

There are actually few differences in foreign policy between these three presidents.

Now the situation is clear: Americans are unreliable if their allies collide with their own benefit.

Towards awareness

This European counter-attack seems all the more united in that in reality, few countries among the 27 could be concerned by such military contracts. But it is on the contrary perhaps one of the reasons for such European vindictiveness, explains Joséphine Staron: "If even the first nuclear and military power in Europe is ridiculed, then what would it have been for? other states? It is a form of humiliation for all of Europe, which must react together. "

Sylvie Matelly, deputy director at IRIS (Institute of International and Strategic Relations) and specialist in Europe, envisages two scenarios.

In the first case, the Europeans realize that the United States are uncertain allies, regardless of who runs the White House, and launch into a European defense allowing moreover a third way between Washington and Beijing, "a rival systemic certainly, but a partner not necessarily to offend just by alliance with the United States ”.

Second option, the Member States prefer to remain on very good terms with the world's leading power, and protect their decades-long military alliances with the United States instead of betting on a hypothetical European Defense which is slow to be set up.

French moderation

What scenario will take place? Hard to say. Of course, the European responses since Monday are much more critical than usual, but for Sylvie Mattely, we must not forget the silences of the previous week. “Everything will depend in large part will depend on Germany and the profile of the new chancellor. Angela Merkel did not react to the affair, leaving the field open to her successor, ”notes the deputy director. It should be noted that the German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas spoke on Tuesday, indicating that: "what was decided - and the way in which it was decided - is irritating and disappointing, not only for France".

It remains to be seen precisely what the French attitude will also be: "French too vindictive, who use too much Europe to defend their own interests, could shoot the 27", warns Sylvie Mattely.

As such, seeing Jean Yves Le Drian, Minister of Foreign Affairs, insist more on the American betrayal than on the contract itself is a very good thing according to the expert.

In difficult times, you have to know how to count on your friends, but when to know how to reassure them.

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Submarine crisis: The EU denounces a "lack of loyalty" of the United States and considers "unacceptable" the way in which France has been treated

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