The aim of this paper is to analyze the prospects for the future of the transatlantic link and the challenges the EU face to emerge as a global actor. Under the Obama Administration and its Pivot to Asia strategy, the transatlantic link entered a process of reconfiguration. The US turned its main focus of geopolitical priorities to Asia to the detriment of the European continent. This is a major issue of concern for the Europeans because they had traditionally benefit for the US support on security and defence, including NATO´s capacities. The global great powers, such as China, Russia or the US, are particularly interested in the rising relevance of Eurasia and the Asian continent as a whole because of its geostrategic added value (in demographic, economic, energetic terms, among others). In this context, the EU has yet to develop its strategic autonomy on security and defence and the Member States have jointly to decide what kind of actor they want to become at the international arena and its level of assertiveness. In sum, the EU will have to find a coherent way to preserve and maintain its position and interests without hard power capacities in the middle of the great powers competition that is taking place globally.
Keywords: Transatlantic link, US, EU, Great powers, Asia
Ana Belén Perianes Bermúdez | University Institute General Gutiérrez Mellado-UNED, Madrid, Spain
Postdoctoral Researcher on Peace, Security and Defence and Professor. Academic background: Dr. in Peace and International Security