Europe has reached the painful realisation that it must be more assertive and militarily independent from an increasingly authoritarian United States administration that no longer shares its commitment to liberal democratic norms, according to a report prepared for the Munich Security Conference (MSC) which begins this week.
The report sets the scene for an ideological confrontation with the Trump White House, following Vice-President JD Vance's 2024 speech accusing European elites of suppressing free speech and opening the floodgates to mass migration. Since then, European leaders and the Trump team have clashed over Ukraine's territorial concessions, threats to seize Greenland, and protectionist US trade measures.
Polling commissioned for the report indicates Europeans are increasingly willing to operate without US leadership. The report accuses President Trump of having a 'lust for destruction' and siding with Vladimir Putin, warning that the US is descending into 'competitive authoritarianism'. It suggests Washington may be bringing about a post-American order, with critics arguing Trump's policies amount to 'the suicide of a superpower'.
European leaders have acknowledged that dependence on US military support has reached its limits. The report argues that Europeans cannot reject trade deals or speak out against sovereignty violations when they rely on the military assistance of the country using coercive tactics. It calls for European leaders to adopt bolder, more innovative approaches and move beyond sterile communiqués and cautious diplomacy.
The report concludes that in an era of 'wrecking-ball politics', those defending international rules must become bold builders themselves. 'Too much is at stake. In fact, everything is at stake,' it states.
