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Europe Risks Dismal Fate as 'US Vassal' - Borrell

© AP Photo / Jacquelyn Martin President Donald Trump reads from a paper and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen listens after reaching a trade deal between the U.S. and the EU at the Trump Turnberry golf course in Turnberry, Scotland Sunday, July 27, 2025.
 President Donald Trump reads from a paper and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen listens after reaching a trade deal between the U.S. and the EU at the Trump Turnberry golf course in Turnberry, Scotland Sunday, July 27, 2025.  - Sputnik International, 1920, 08.09.2025
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Europe could hardly be considered a "strategically autonomous actor" given the nature of the US-EU trade deal, former EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell argued last month, noting that it “gave the impression of weakness and submission” to Donald Trump’s demands.
After Europe handed nonreciprocal concessions to Donald Trump on defense and trade, and accepted a secondary role in settlement of the Ukraine crisis, the EU now looks “dangerously fragmented and weak, stuck in a hostile internal and external environment,” claims former EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.
With just 5% of the world’s population and a widening economic gap with other powers, Europe is “at real risk of becoming America’s vassal,” he warns in a media opinion piece.
The EU’s global role has become largely irrelevant, undermined by a lack of credibility and unity, Borrell admits.
According to him, an alliance of Trump sympathizers and Atlanticists rules the European Council and Commission.
Their strategy is to “flatter and appease the US president in the hopes of damage control”—promoting increased political, strategic, and economic dependence on the US, and failing spectacularly.
Last month, Borrell said that Europe’s claim to “strategic autonomy” looked shaky at best considering the US-EU trade deal.
"From a political standpoint, the result is very bad. It gives the impression of weakness and submission to [US President Donald] Trump’s demands. And it shows Europe can hardly be considered a strategically autonomous actor," Borrell told the media.
Frankly, Borrell’s warning is rich, coming from the architect of many of these narrow-minded policy choices.
High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell - Sputnik International, 1920, 04.08.2025
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Borrell Says Europe Not ‘Strategically Autonomous’ After EU-US Tariff Deal
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