The accountability crisis in the EU also poses a major threat to Europe

Since the end of World War II, Atlantic relations have been going through the deepest crisis, and the situation is proven by data. The United States, facing serious problems in economy and governance, lags behind its allies in the irresponsibility index, signaling a move away from democratic values. The Washington administration viewing alliances as transactions and abandoning adherence to rules puts Europe before a historic test in security and economic areas.

This isolation of the US is not just a temporary deviation, but a withdrawal stemming from the global leadership role and international rules. While allies are seen as 'drivers' in the 2025 National Security Strategy, there has been a concerning decline in indicators of political assassinations and impartial public administration in the domestic policy arena. Before focusing on its own problems, Europe must accept that the US is no longer the power preserving the post-1945 order and has become more inward-oriented and unaccountable with an 'America First' approach.

However, the source of the problem is not just beyond the Atlantic; Europe's own weaknesses and tendency to deceive itself also complicate the situation. The continent has viewed America's security guarantees as a natural law and Russia's cheap energy as a continuous resource for years, failing to realize this strategic dependency. Now that these dependencies have collapsed in both security and economic areas, Europe has had to assert itself on all fronts simultaneously and felt the necessity of self-sufficiency.

Even worse is that the wave of authoritarianism has permeated the inside of Europe and that there is a non-accidental European path. The harsh pressures after the Novi Sad disaster in Serbia, the canceled elections in Romania, and the democratic regression of Hungary and Slovakia reveal the seriousness of the continent's internal political turmoil. The prominence of the far right in polls in major Western European countries like England, Germany, and France is a clear sign that the traditional democratic center is eroding.

Consequently, the US has ceased to be a bulwark against this democracy-weakening wave and has instead started to support it financially and strategically. The US strategy, arguing that European nations face a 'loss of civilization' threat against their own elected governments, has reached a point that even endangers Europe's struggle for its own future and democratic values. In this picture, Europe must rediscover its own strength and resilience instead of relying on US support.