NEW DELHI: The shores of the Atlantic Ocean may appear to be experiencing a diplomatic shift, leading to further distance between the United States of America and European countries.
US President Donald J. Trump’s direct rap on Europe, “Your countries are going to hell, ” during his address at the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session on Tuesday, September 23, does underscore his displeasure at whatever Europe’s leaders are doing.
In his words, NATO countries not cutting off Russian energy amounts to “funding the war against themselves”.
France and the United Kingdom joining the growing list of countries granting recognition to the state of Palestine, Germany and other European nations opening their doors to refugees, or such states embracing green energy, all have added to his annoyance.
However, though some earlier reports said that he intended to, Trump did not drastically cut funding to NATO.
At the June 2025 NATO summit in The Hague, Washington successfully pushed nearly all European allies to increase defense spending targets from the longstanding 2 per cent of GDP to 5 per cent by 2035.
Later reports hailed this move as a “diplomatic masterstroke”, and a “historic moment”.
Relations between the two shores have been like the water in between -- sometimes choppy, but calm at other times.