Brussels Links Support for Ukraine to Countering China’s Assertiveness
In a strategic move to maintain robust U.S. support for Ukraine under the anticipated Trump administration, Brussels is increasingly connecting the fight against China’s growing assertiveness—a significant concern for Washington—with efforts to strengthen the war-torn nation of Ukraine. Kaja Kallas, the Commissioner-designate for foreign affairs and security, emphasized this linkage during her confirmation hearing with Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) on Tuesday.
Kallas stated, “If the U.S. is concerned about China or other global actors, they should also be mindful of our response to Russia’s ongoing aggression in Ukraine.” She pointed out that Beijing is not only providing moral support but also assisting Russia in sustaining its military operations, alongside allies like Iran and North Korea. Kallas insisted that these nations must be made to “bear a greater cost” for their backing of Moscow.
This sentiment resonated with comments made by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who addressed the EU’s commitment to Ukraine just a day after Trump was re-elected for a second term. In response to a question about the EU’s readiness to enhance support for Kyiv amid Trump’s threats to significantly reduce U.S. contributions, von der Leyen remarked, “It is crucial to convey to our American partners that Russia poses not only a threat to Europe but to global security as a whole.”
She further articulated that “the technology supplied by China and Iran is being utilized by Russia on the battlefield,” underscoring the interconnectedness of security concerns across the Indo-Pacific and Europe. Von der Leyen stressed the importance of aligning European and U.S. interests in this matter, declaring, “This is a point we need to communicate clearly to our American friends.”
Shifting Focus Towards the East
During his campaign, Trump expressed intentions to rapidly end the conflict in Ukraine, potentially leading to detrimental territorial concessions for Kyiv. There are growing concerns that the $20 billion in U.S. aid, part of a $50 billion (€45 billion) loan package from G7 allies, could be abandoned by Trump if not finalized before he takes office on January 20. Notably, half of this financial assistance is allocated for military support and requires congressional approval.
Moreover, the incoming U.S. president is expected to prioritize relations with China, reflecting the focus of his first term, which included imposing significant tariffs on Chinese imports. Under President Joe Biden, the U.S. has continued to pivot its foreign policy towards the East, introducing an Indo-Pacific Strategy and forging bilateral and multilateral alliances, including military partnerships with regional countries.
Encouraged by Washington, NATO has also begun to redirect its focus towards the Indo-Pacific, marking the first mention of the region in a communiqué following a summit of leaders in Vilnius, Lithuania, in 2023. The NATO communiqué asserted that “Developments in the Indo-Pacific can directly impact Euro-Atlantic security,” a theme reiterated in documents from the recent summit in Washington.
Transactional Dynamics in Transatlantic Relations
According to Dr. Ian Lesser, a distinguished fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, there is a growing belief that broadening the agenda between the U.S. and Europe will highlight shared interests and mitigate the drift towards unilateralism and economic nationalism. He noted that this could become a defining feature of the European approach towards the new Trump administration.
In an email to Euronews, Dr. Lesser remarked, “We can expect to see more explicit connections made between security, trade, and regulatory issues on both sides of the Atlantic.” For instance, Washington may push for home-grown companies to have more predictable roles in European security initiatives. In turn, the EU may choose to align its China policy more closely with that of the U.S. to avert tariffs and other economic measures that could conflict with European interests.
Dr. Lesser concluded that this reflects an “increasingly transactional approach to transatlantic relations.” Kallas, a former Prime Minister of Estonia, is anticipated to receive MEPs’ approval in the coming days and will assume her role as the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs in December.
