France & UK’s key repositioning

AlArabiya English

Europe’s interests are increasingly at risk in Ukraine, making France and the UK’s shift in stance crucial, Political Science and International Affairs Professor William Lawrence says.  #Ukraine #France

Transcript

00:00William, it was the third summit of what France and Britain have called the coalition of the

00:06willing. Do you think Europe is under immense pressure to step up to the plate to support

00:12Ukraine as America pushes for more defence spending and seems to be stepping back slightly

00:19from this?

00:20Yes, and there are many dimensions to this new European positioning. You know, part of

00:28this reflects some of the language that we're hearing, is stepping in for the United States

00:34and other aspects of it are stepping in despite the United States, because ultimately it's Europe's

00:41interests that are more at stake here and that's why the repositioning of France and the UK are

00:50so important, both in terms of being independent of the US and in terms of helping the US do things.

00:56You probably noticed in the other big story in the news right now, the signal leaks about the

01:02Houthi bombing. There was a very interesting discussion between Stephen Miller, J.D. Vance

01:06and others about extracting concessions for Europe when the US does things to help the European

01:12economy, in this case opening up the Babel-Mendez Straits. And that reflects really interesting

01:18ideas about Europe and Trump's inner circle, that the US needs to be transactional with

01:25Europe and extract concessions when the US does things Europe wants.

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