Life After the US: Is Brussels Ready to 'Push Washington Out of Europe'?

High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini recently suggested that Washington and Brussels are likely to increasingly disagree on a range of issues. Political analyst Rostislav Ishchenko maintained that Mogherini's message to the EU is clear.

In Ishchenko's opinion, Mogherini has de facto stated that tensions with the US will build up.

The EU foreign policy chief has indicated that "the United States is not what it used to be; it is no longer a leader," he wrote for RIA Novosti. "The European Union can no longer pay attention to Washington. Their approaches do not coincide and they will increasingly differ. Since Washington is no longer the global leader, there is no need to be afraid of the US. [Brussels] can safely push it out of Europe."

The relationship between Washington and Brussels has hit a rough patch after Donald Trump moved into the White House. The US president has been critical of NATO's inability to meet global challenges. He also criticized the bloc's members for not spending enough on defense. President Trump has hailed Britain's decision to leave the European Union, much to the discontent of European leaders.

"In the future there may be more topics, on which the European Union and the United States will have different positions," Mogherini told Die Welt following her visit to Washington. "Today, perhaps we're moving into an adult relationship that is not only based on gratitude, but also on our particular independent positions."

The EU foreign policy chief mentioned free trade, climate change and multilateralism as potential points of contention between the US and Europe in a post on her website.

Mogherini also described the United States as increasingly "polarized" and "burdened with conflicts."

"When Russian experts pointed out that American elites and society were polarized, sceptics said that they were indulging in wishful thinking. When some US elites spoke of divisions, sceptics attributed [these concerns] to the election campaign," Ishchenko said. "Now the EU foreign policy chief has not merely stated that the split exists. Mogherini has forecast issues with US leadership. She has almost openly suggested that the European Union should prepare itself for life after the United States."

Never miss a story again — sign up to our Telegram channel and we'll keep you up to speed!