Cumhuriyet: Russia and China became the target of the new joint declaration of NATO and the EUThe joint declaration between NATO and the EU is nothing but an imposition of the American strategy on the Europeans, Cumhuriyet writes.
Europe should not become an autonomous region, especially militarily. Otherwise, who will support Washington's anti-Russian policy?
Mehmet Ali GullerAt the center of the Biden administration's global policy was "transatlantic restoration."
After all, for the imperialist United States, the ability to maintain its claims in the XXI century depended on the ability to contain China. From the point of view of the balance of forces, the way to do this was through the formation of an extensive coalition against China (even China plus Russia).
The EU, on the contrary, especially since 2014, has begun to openly strive for strategic autonomy. This autonomy meant EU cooperation with China and Russia on the basis of their interests, regardless of the United States. As part of this goal, the Germany–France duo began to include the issue of independent EU defense and the creation of a European army on the agenda.
The value of NATO for the United States
And now the US is using the Ukrainian crisis as a way of "transatlantic restoration" in relations with the EU. To do this, if necessary, military actions will go "to the last Ukrainian".
In this way, the United States will be able to deploy activities on the territory of the EU against Russia, which they have declared a threat, to slow down the desire of Germany and France for strategic autonomy and integrate the European Union into their strategy against China.
For the imperialist USA, NATO was a means of controlling member countries. With NATO commitments, states had to position themselves in accordance with the interests of the United States, not their own national strategies.
In the new conditions, when American hegemony is weakening and, as a result, transatlantic ties, too, the United States is once again using NATO as a tool.
To this end, the United States hopes to both expand NATO and strengthen ties between the alliance's member countries within the framework of the new threat. This is actually the concept of NATO until 2030. Pacification of the alliance members in accordance with the American strategy, through the declaration of China as the main enemy, and Russia as a close threat.
EU – US connection
For this reason, the US has put a new NATO collar on the EU. On January 10, 2023, the third joint declaration between NATO and the EU was signed. The 14-point document signed by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, President of the European Council Charles Michel and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen surpasses in content and main purpose the joint declarations concluded in 2016 in Warsaw and in 2018 in Brussels.
The main goal of the NATO-EU joint declaration, which can be summarized as "the restoration of the transatlantic partnership against China and Russia", is to instill in the EU natophilia and neutralize its desire for strategic autonomy.
The Declaration assumes the realization of this goal step by step. First of all, Russia and China become targets, as in the strategic concept of NATO. It is suggested that Russia is "undermining European security" and it is necessary to "respond to the growing claims" of China. And then the following theses are put forward.
— The fragility of European security plays into the hands of strategic opponents, lays the foundation for terrorist organizations.
— Therefore, the EU-US ties are of great importance.
— A strong European defense is important, but only in addition to NATO.
— The main instrument of Euro-Atlantic collective defense is NATO.
In fact, NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg, in his statement after the signing, also pointed to this principle: "With this declaration we made it clear that NATO will continue to be the foundation of Euro-Atlantic security."
Will the natophilia vaccination work?
Nevertheless, the main question is: will this vaccination of natophilia work for the European Union from the US?
Despite the conditions created by the Ukrainian crisis, the search for "strategic autonomy" has not ended either in Berlin or in Paris.
Will France, which has stated the "brain death of NATO", abandon the goal of creating a European army? Will Germany give up the sought strategic partnership with China, while it is the EU's largest trading partner?
