Boris Johnson warns Europe: strategic independence from US is 'a trap and a delusion'
Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned that Europe's push for military independence from the United States is largely an illusion, arguing true autonomy would require matching American military power.
Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson expressed skepticism about Europe's efforts to become more militarily independent from the United States, speaking on an episode of the podcast "War School."
Johnson argued that talk of European strategic autonomy is essentially pretense and self-deception. He pointed out that Europe's nuclear deterrence capability relies almost entirely on the United States. According to him, if Europeans genuinely want autonomy, they would need to build a military force comparable to America's, and also agree on a common leader that all countries could accept.
Defense spending and America's role
Johnson also addressed US criticism that European countries spend too little on defense, saying he understands Washington's frustration on this point.
At the same time, he stressed that maintaining a US military presence in Europe is a relatively cheap solution compared to the potential consequences of Europe losing American support. He said that while he understands American complaints about feeling taken advantage of by Europeans, preserving US leadership in Europe is comparatively inexpensive next to what would happen if Europe were to collapse and America were forced to step back in to fix the situation.
