Award-winning author Navid Kermani has asserted that the United States no longer functions as a protective ally for Europe, characterizing the relationship instead as one of rivalry, or at best, a purely transactional partnership. In an interview with the “Rheinische Post”, Kermani suggested a persistent disconnect between European leadership and the current realities of transatlantic relations. He indicates a continued tendency among European leaders to uphold values while seemingly operating under outdated assumptions about the nature of the alliance.
Kermani contends Europe previously labored under the belief that it shared a larger, unifying purpose with the United States. He now suggests that perception has shifted, with the US increasingly viewing Europe similarly to Africa – as a market, a dependent state, or a tool to be utilized. He further posits that Europe’s reliance on American security creates a vulnerability to coercion.
While acknowledging the United States remains a democratic state, Kermani believes it has fundamentally ceased to see itself as a global guarantor of order, regardless of who occupies the presidency. He pinpointed the withdrawal from Afghanistan as the pivotal moment in this shift, referencing the imagery of desperate individuals clinging to departing American aircraft as evidence of a decisive turning point – effectively abandoning the country to the Taliban.
Kermani, recipient of the 2015 Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, argues the only viable path forward for Europe lies in revitalizing the process of European integration. He calls for a renewed dynamism in European cooperation, drawing parallels to the ambitious reconstruction efforts undertaken after World War II, to forge a bolder and more independent European future.