August 19, 2020
America Should Capitalize on Europe’s Unlikely Comeback from the Coronavirus
A few months ago, Americans were praying for Europe. As the coronavirus ravaged the continent, they watched the lockdowns in Italy, worried about infection rates in Spain, and sympathized with Brits when Prime Minister Boris Johnson became ill. European countries took health security into their own hands, leaving a coherent, continent-wide approach in the dust. Following several years of fractious discord, the Europe of 2020 appeared more distracted and divided than ever.
But then, as the United States descended into the abyss of the coronavirus pandemic, a strange thing happened across the Atlantic: Europe staged an unlikely, tentative comeback. This comeback was not only based on the health of its citizens but on a newfound political and economic unity, which could prove to be beneficial for America. If the momentum of this comeback is sustained, then it points to new opportunities in transatlantic relations. The winner of November’s presidential election would be wise to seize those opportunities.
Read the full op-ed in The National Interest.
More from CNAS
-
The Coming Crisis of NATO Deterrence
Commentary
If Washington signals an unwillingness to engage in conventional military action to defend Europe, Putin will conclude that Russia has escalation dominance on the continent an...
By Celeste Wallander
-
U.S. Military Posture and Implications for European Security
Podcast
Over the last several weeks, U.S. allies have been trying to make sense of a dizzying series of announcements about America’s military posture and broader role in Europe. Firs...
By Andrea Kendall-Taylor & Jim Townsend
-
What’s Behind the Pentagon Scrapping the Deployment of 4,000 U.S. Troops to Poland?
Video
They were ready to go — until the order came to stand down. More than 4,000 U.S. troops won’t deploy to Poland as planned. Former Pentagon official and Senior Fellow at the Tr...
By Jim Townsend
-
Reports
Transatlantic Security / Global Swing States
Beyond the SahelRussia has been expanding its engagement in Africa under President Vladimir Putin, seeking to increase Russia’s access to resources (either natural or military, including port...
By Kate Johnston, Valeria Allende & Isabel Dlabach
