Germany is setting up a special fund of 100 billion euros for the Bundeswehr. What sounds like rearmament is not enough for former US Presidential Advisor Charles Kupchan. In order to strengthen Europe’s military clout, it ultimately needs the USA.
Former adviser to US President Joe Biden, Charles Kupchan, has called on the EU states to upgrade more. In view of the new era announced by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, he told “Stern” that that was far from enough. Europe will remain dependent on the USA for a long time to come.
French President Emmanuel Macron wanted to detach the Europeans from America and called for “strategic autonomy” from the United States, according to Kupchan. “So he was isolated. Then the war in Ukraine caught up with him.” Europe must grow closer together and become more powerful militarily, emphasized the professor of international relations at the renowned Georgetown University in Washington. “But that will only succeed together with the USA, not instead of the USA.”
Kupchan also praised Biden’s actions in the Ukraine war. “It was incredibly clever of him that he published the findings of his secret services early on. That’s how Ukrainians and Europeans knew that a Russian invasion was imminent. The whole world knew that Russian propaganda should not be believed.” Together with the Europeans, Biden succeeded in enforcing sanctions and arms deliveries.
“So far the result has been a complete success: a strategic defeat for Russia,” said Kupchan. The government in Kiev is still there after a year of aggressive war. “More than that: Russia has united Ukraine in the fight against the invasion. Putin’s sphere of influence in the world has shrunk radically. Joe Biden deserves top marks in this conflict. Kupchan firmly believes that at the end of the war Russia will be seen severely weakened and Biden and his government strengthened.
You can read the entire interview at “Stern”.