Russia has praised the new National Security Strategy developed by US President Donald Trump’s administration, saying it largely aligns with Moscow’s vision, the BBC reports.
The 33-page document released by the US administration suggests that Europe is experiencing a “collapse of civilization” and that Russia poses no threat to the US. The report lists the fight against foreign influence, stopping mass migration and rejecting the European Union’s “censorship” practices as priorities. Several EU officials and analysts have spoken out against the new US strategy, questioning its focus on freedom of expression and comparing the wording used in the document to Kremlin rhetoric.
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on the 7th of December that the changes made to the security strategy are largely consistent with Russia’s vision, and that this is a positive step. He added that Moscow would continue to review the document before drawing any firm conclusions.
The US security strategy takes a softer stance on Russia, which has EU officials worried about a weakening of its position vis-à-vis Moscow, which could affect efforts to end the war in Ukraine. The document blames the EU for obstructing the implementation of the peace plan and says the US should restore strategic stability in Russia, which would also help European economies.
The document encourages efforts to influence European politics, saying that US policy should prioritize efforts to counter the direction taken by the EU.
It calls for restoring “Western identity,” and states that Europe will be unrecognizable in 20 years or less,
with the bloc’s economic problems eclipsed by the real and acute threat of civilizational collapse. It is unclear whether certain European countries will have the economies or militaries to be reliable allies.
At the same time, the new security strategy praises the influence of “patriotic European parties” and says “America encourages its political allies in Europe to promote this revival of spirit.”
As the EU negotiates with the Trump administration to achieve a fair peace in Ukraine, several officials have stressed the enduring relationship with the United States but have also raised questions about the strategy. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said the United States is Germany’s most important ally in the alliance. However, he stressed that NATO’s primary mission is security policy issues and said that freedom of expression and European civil society organizations are not part of the security strategy’s scope.
In a social media post dedicated to “American friends,” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk noted that “Europe is your closest ally, not your problem,” and pointed to common enemies.
Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt, on the other hand, wrote that the document is on the right side of the extreme right wing.
The Trump administration and
the Republican Party have been developing closer relations with the German far-right Alternative for Germany party,
which the German domestic intelligence service has included in the list of extremist organizations.
Emphasizing the slogan “America First”, the new strategy says that the United States plans to continue destroying boats considered part of a drug smuggling network in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean, and is considering possible military action in Venezuela. The United States has also demanded that Japan, South Korea, Australia and Taiwan increase their military budgets.
Representatives of the Democratic Party have indicated that the new document could ruin US relations with other countries.
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