Tuesday, June 16th 2026
The White House proclaims itself the winner, but to the rest of the world it looks weaker
With the start of the G7 summit in France, European countries must decide how they will behave towards Donald Trump. The main issue is the agreement to end the conflict with Iran, with the hope that it will be signed on Friday without obstacles.
Should the American president be told openly about the damage this war has caused? Or is it wiser to favor de-escalation and resume discussions on US-European relations in other areas?
Trump does not arrive in Évian as a winner, because the agreement being prepared promises to solve problems largely of his own making.
Uranium enrichment up to 60 percent is a consequence of the US withdrawal from the previous nuclear agreement, while the outbreak of war in prompted the Iranians to close the Strait of Hormuz.
The effort to show US power and control energy flows collided with a Middle East reality that Trump has never fully grasped – a circumstance that Israel has cleverly exploited.
The US president will continue to proclaim the superiority of the United States, but with less credibility after the failures of recent months. Meanwhile, the negative consequences are already showing.
Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt and Pakistan are forming a new alliance, showing a lack of confidence in American guarantees and the failure of the Abraham Accords strategy.
On a larger scale, Beijing and Moscow have criticized American intervention firmly but cautiously in public, while behind the scenes they have supported Tehran without directly getting involved.
There is no doubt that they will try, with their traditional patience, to take advantage of the weakening of Washington’s image in the eyes of medium and small powers.
European governments are in a more difficult position. Some of them allowed the use of military bases on their territory, while others imposed restrictions, drawing the ire of Trump.
He reacted immediately by starting to reduce the presence of American troops in various countries and he does not miss any opportunity to return criticism of Europe, especially on the issue of immigration.
This is not something new. The current US administration is extremely sensitive to anyone who does not bend to its will. However, over the past year Europe has shown it can stand firm in several important areas, from tariffs to the Greenland issue.
The war remains a core topic, but at this stage it seems more reasonable to encourage Trump to follow the path of peace and help, as much as possible, the implementation of the agreement.
On the other hand, Europe should avoid feeding the narrative promoted by the alliance among the neoconservatives. and the “America First” movement, which has gained ground over the last year.
The risk is accepting conditions that could lead to bombings again if the negotiations encounter obstacles – a mistake that Europe already made a few years ago with the return of sanctions against Iran.
Two other major problems remain in the background: economic relations and the war in Ukraine. As for the economy, it is important to understand that Washington’s strategy goes beyond the Trump camp.
In the US, a new sense of national interest is being strengthened, which is being placed on the traditional rules of globalization, without excluding, however, cooperation between allied countries in the field of industrial policies.
As for Ukraine, many circles in the US want to resume economic relations with Russia, while Brussels and London are not ready to make concessions. At this point it will be necessary to find a compromise, both with Russia and the USA. /square
Source: prizrenpost
Etiketa: Brief
