Trump threatened Europe with restrictions on access to the US arms market
22 February 19:16
The administration of President Donald Trump has threatened Europe with restrictions on access to the US arms market if the European Union gives preference to European manufacturers in the context of rearming the continent.
This was reported by Politico, citing a statement from the US Department of War, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
According to the publication, the Pentagon issued a warning ahead of the planned update of EU procurement directives. The department said it strongly opposes “any changes that would limit the ability of US industry to participate in procurement for the national defense of EU member states.”
The document emphasizes that protectionist policies that squeeze American companies out of the market, while European firms continue to benefit from access to the US market, are “the wrong course of action.” If provisions favoring European manufacturers are included in EU legislation, Washington has threatened to review all existing exemptions from the Buy American Act under bilateral agreements. This effectively means closing the US market to European defense companies, Politico notes.
The publication points to a paradox in the US approach: the Trump administration has repeatedly called on Europe to shoulder the main burden of its own defense, but at the same time is not ready to compromise the interests of the American military-industrial complex. In recent years, the European Commission has been trying to increase the share of European weapons in the bloc’s arsenals in preparation for an attack by Russia. However, for decades, Europe has depended on American technology, from F-35 fighter jets to HIMARS and Patriot systems. Nearly two-thirds of the weapons imported into the EU come from the US, Politico writes.
In February, European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius announced the need to create a European defence union and replace American tools, including space reconnaissance and air refuelling.
The updated version of the EU public procurement directive is expected to be presented in the third quarter. It is still unclear whether it will include mandatory rules that give priority to European manufacturers.
