The art of vassalisation: How Russia’s war on Ukraine has transformed transatlantic relations
ecfr.eu
Europeans’ response to Russia’s war on Ukraine confirms their profound dependence on the US – an unwise position given the security challenge in Europe and coming geopolitical competition with China.

The report is absolutely scathing. Some choice quotes:

But when the next crisis came, both the US and the governments of Europe fell back on old models of alliance leadership. Europe, as EU high representative for foreign affairs Josep Borrell loudly lamented prior to Russia’s invasion, is not really at the table when it comes to dealing with the Russia-Ukraine crisis. It has instead embarked on a process of vassalisation.

But “alone” had a very specific meaning for Scholz. He was unwilling to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine unless the US also sent its own main battle tank, the M1 Abrams. It was not enough that other partners would send tanks or that the US might send other weapons. Like a scared child in a room full of strangers, Germany felt alone if Uncle Sam was not holding its hand.

Europeans’ lack of agency in the Russia-Ukraine crisis stems from this growing power imbalance in the Western alliance. Under the Biden administration, the US has become ever more willing to exercise this growing influence.

  • albigu@lemmygrad.mlEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    Mate, you have to be a bit too gringo to think that whatever your conglomerates like Bosch produce can’t be produced without exporting all the wealth to the “Global North” as you people call it. Even Bosch itself has factories in China to supplement the stagnating production in your glorified peninsula. And no, we don’t need your posh “food processor” as if cheap and good mixers haven’t been commonplace everywhere for the last 50 years or so. Truth is “you” (as you put it) produce very little to the world, it is all extracted and produced abroad, be it in Asia, Africa or America (the continent), and then you get to claim glory because your patented circuit-printing facilities got to do the very last bit.

    Then “you” (as you put it) try to shove these inferior and expensive products down the collective throat of the rest of the world. And then you proclaim to the world of slaves “how good we are, to civilise those barbarians”. Do you really believe us to be so stupid that we couldn’t replicate and improve your circuit boards and electronics without your nonsensical patent laws and foreign meddling? How many Chinas surpassing the USAurope do you need to call your exceptionalism into question? I have never seen a single Bosch appliance and European products are for the most part luxury goods or patent hogs. Oh no, how will I survive with my Asian imports and local production without the help of those smart Euros? All you people do is import, and you pretend that’s a good thing.

    But please, educate me about the third world reliance on your tiny continent.

    • barsoap@lemm.eeEnglish
      02·
      1 year ago

      All you people do is import, and you pretend that’s a good thing.

      Fine. Convince whatever country you’re in to pass a law forbidding importing anything from highly developed nations. If you don’t want our stuff, your choice. If you don’t want to sell your stuff, also your choice. Just stop trading, I don’t care.

      …what you’re going to see happening is your own high-tech sector completely folding, and you then spending the next 50 year spending tons of resources on figuring out how to build things that you can buy off the shelf from Europe, the US, Japan, South Korea, etc.

      And that’d be a shame because we’d like to see you on eye level, see you carve out your own areas of excellence where you trump us. But if you don’t want to, well, we won’t force you. Because unlike Seppos we actually learned from history.

      • albigu@lemmygrad.mlEnglish
        1·
        1 year ago

        If you don’t want our stuff, your choice.

        lmao like anybody bothers buying that crap anyways. Y’all think too highly of your overpriced contraband, and you shouldn’t include Japan and South Korea in the mix as they generally are not considered part of Europe and actually produce some very good and affordable products.

        If you don’t want to sell your stuff, also your choice.

        Oh sure, just waiting for that referendum to block all exports of crops, mineral resources and fossil fuels to the gringolands. As we all know, we all just democratically voted for our national industries to be privatised. I’m sure all the gringo companies that depend on it are gonna just democratically fold and leave.

        Also I’m no fan of the Stadians, but I don’t think it is wise to have such disdain for the “Seppos” who are responsible for maintaining whatever semblance of hegemony Europe still keeps. If said referendum comes, you’ll have to rely on them to do democratic interventions to keep your democratically elected privatised industries to fuel your never-ending consumption of imports. You people can’t even win a war outside of Europe without their support anymore.