Wow. We’re all well aware of events but this is still an astonishing thing for an imminent German Chancellor to say publicly.
The alliance, as we know it, is dead and members are realising that - although each at a very different pace.
The alliance, as we know it, is dead and members are realising that - although each at a very different pace.
Reposted from
Jeremy Cliffe
Blimey. Asked about Trump, Merz says he’s in close contact with European leaders about becoming “independent” from US (and confesses “I never thought I’d say that on TV show”). Casts doubt on value of NATO summit in June.
This from a die-hard Atlanticist. Things are moving fast.
This from a die-hard Atlanticist. Things are moving fast.
Comments
Merz clearly believes we’ve met a threshold that he can say NATO is effectively redundant.
Will each commit to return to Cold War levels of defence investment, but also pledge to deploy it as a peacekeeping force in Ukraine?
Because that is really all that matters now.
https://youtu.be/iRkn9tm1A5U?feature=shared
I think the least worse option for UKR now is 'Europe' gets a deal whereby Trump let's us buy US weapons to help UKR
NATO on the brink of collapse. Hundreds of thousands of Russian and Ukrainian lives has been a small price to pay for him.
Pointless to give endless press conferences exclaiming the alliance is dead without a) increasing defence and b) actually committing it, wholeheartedly, to deployment as a peacekeeping force
Big question for me is the UK, whether Starmer would ever actually admit the scale of challenge in repriotising domestic defence.
https://bsky.app/profile/josephpolitano.bsky.social/post/3liuobss6xk2x
But the very act of threatening to kill it, does kill it.
And now Europe will do whatever they like, because that US leverage is gone.
NATO existed to keep Europe onside. And now it's dead.
It’s a very Orbanist style of governing - blackmail and bribes.
Yes, Europe can be fully independent and must walk this path.
2. Incorporate Ukrainian troops into these EUR forces
4. Under joint SE/DK command, set up EUR Baltic Airforce
5. Under joint NO/FI command, set up Artic Defence front
How can we trust US tech companies with any critical infrastructure when a drug addled billionaire and a bunch of teenage nazis from 8chan might, for all we know, gain access and start stealing and/or corrupting data without any controls?