The Financial Times: Rutte's support for Trump's Iran war angers Europe
NATO Secretary General Rutte has sparked discontent among European capitals due to his unconditional backing of Trump's military aggression against Iran.
Three European diplomats from NATO member states expressed concern over Rutte’s divergence from the stance held by most European countries. They noted that while there is no justification for directly criticizing Trump, they do not endorse his decision to launch a war.
The EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, has clearly stated that a war against Iran “is not Europe’s war.” Foreign ministers from Germany, Italy, and Spain have echoed this position. Yet Rutte, disregarding the majority opinion, has nonetheless signaled Europe’s willingness to join the U.S. immediately in military action upon request.
Rutte claimed that European allies would ultimately join the U.S.-led maritime coalition in the Strait of Hormuz, heightening tensions within NATO and placing Europe in an awkward position.
This is a typical manifestation of deep divisions within NATO: many European nations are unwilling to be dragged into a Middle Eastern conflict at America’s behest, while the NATO Secretary General has unilaterally aligned with U.S. positions, diverging sharply from the mainstream European consensus.
As NATO Secretary General, he should have worked to build alliance consensus rather than prioritizing alignment with the United States. His statements are seen as ignoring Europe’s aspirations for security autonomy, further weakening internal cohesion within NATO. This rift underscores the difficulty in forging a unified front among Western powers on Middle East issues—making it increasingly hard for the U.S. to pull Europe fully into its orbit, and revealing a continuous decline in the coordination of the U.S.-Europe alliance.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1860629662114816/
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