Can’t Keep Checking My Phone
Challenges of EU Foreign Policy in 2018
HR/VP Mogherini with Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif (Voa News)
In these days of smartphones and the overall hyper productivity of media outlets, one cannot help but notice how interesting it is to follow international politics. My phone notifications have in the past couple of weeks basically exploded, and for an average observer of World affairs, it is getting tougher and tougher to catch up with all the information. The latest developments in the Gaza Strip, any kind of foreign affairs action involving US President Donald Trump, and the challenges the European Union is facing in preserving the Iran deal, managing European security and giving a helping hand to the Western Balkans, are the ones getting headlines.
Even the diplomatic and moderate European Council President Donald Tusk used the opportunity this week to strongly attack the US President Donald Trump for his constant misbehaviour which is strongly endangering European interests. Donald Tusk stated that Europe, by knowing with whom it is dealing with in the disrupted transatlantic partnership, can now focus on itself in order to fight for its own well-being. One can completely understand Tusk’s dissatisfaction, having in mind the latest policies of US President Trump. As every average follower of politics knows, the loveless affair started already in the US Presidential campaign of 2016, when Donald Trump released a series of criticism towards the EU, praising the UK for Brexit and threatening to pull out of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), which Trump did immediately after his inauguration.
In the meantime, there were signals coming from the EU side on trying to reason the US President by engaging into dialogue, and the most recent one was the obviously failed charm-offensive of the French President Emmanuel Macron during his visit to the US. Unfortunately, a visit which will be more remembered for fashion statements from the First Ladies of US and France than for any concrete material. As it is known, President Trump recently decided to pull out from the Iran deal, a crown jewel of EU foreign policy which High Representative/Vice President of European Commission Federica Mogherini takes with personal pride. The second endangerment came with President Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel, thus endangering peace between Palestinians and Israelis, as both nations consider Jerusalem to be their capital city.
FYROM PM Zaev & Greek PM Tsipras (Nezavisen.mk)
The third endangerment came some time ago with Trump announcing trade tariffs on steel and aluminium, and from nowadays view, it is just a part of a much bigger problem. Politicians from both sides have raised serious concerns over how will this relationship develop in the near future, having in mind that President Trump is here to stay at least until the beginning of 2021, with a possibility of getting re-elected. Obviously further confrontation is in no one’s interest, besides to some external factors that would profit from this dispute. Too many aspects are dependent on EU – US relations, not only NATO partnership and trade cooperation, but also jobs, research and industries.
So what to do when the US President is consistently disrupting multilateralism, the long withstanding transatlantic partnership and all the good things achieved through US and EU cooperation throughout decades? The EU officials are responding proudly and calmly, praising the EU as a champion of progressive values, human rights and free trade. However, it will take more than that.
On a final note, I have mentioned the Western Balkans being in the headlines this week. Winston Churchill once said that the Balkans produce more history than they can consume, but nowadays EU officials seem to be looking towards the future. With the Sofia Summit happening these days, a first one dedicated to Western Balkans since the early 2000s, there has been an enthusiasm in bringing the Balkans closer to the EU. Challenges remain and there are plenty of them, ranging from the unresolved Serbia – Kosovo issue, to the economic and political challenges. The EU is here to help, despite certain cynicism and criticism, which is often exaggerated. A good example of help is the current progress between Greece and FYROM on the Macedonia name issue, which is strongly supported by the EU. As with many good things in life, it just takes time. It is important to have patience, which would also be a good advice in dealing with the previously mentioned US President.