Germany wants Europe to form a 'counterweight' to US

[vi-va]

Germany wants Europe to form a 'counterweight' to US

The German foreign minister has said it was high time that Europe reassessed its partnership with the United States. He advocated an EU payment system independent of the US in order to save the nuclear deal with Iran.​

​

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has said that Europe should form a "counterweight" to the United States whenever Washington "crosses red lines."
In a guest article for German business newspaper Handelsblatt, Maas said Germany wants a "balanced partnership" with the United States, in which it "brings its weight where the US withdraws."
"Single-handedly, we will fail in this task. The main goal of our foreign policy is therefore to build a sovereign, strong Europe," Maas wrote.
Maas' article comes amid strained relations between the US and its European allies after US President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from the EU, and pulled out of a nuclear deal between Iran and major powers.
Europe has been scrambling to persuade Tehran to remain in the 2015 accord. But with European firms wary of far-reaching US financial penalties, it's proving to be a challenge.
Read more: Donald Trump's trade spats with Europe, China and NAFTA ― What you need to know

EU-US trade relationship
More than a trillion euros in trade

The European Union is the US' largest export market, accounting for about one-fifth of all US exports. Similarly, one-fifth of EU exports go to the United States. EU-US trade in goods and services was €1,069.3 billion in 2017. The EU imported €256.2 billion in goods from the US, and exported €375.8 billion.
EU payment system
Maas said Europe needs to set up payment systems independent of the United States if it wants to save the nuclear deal.
"That's why it is indispensable that we strengthen European autonomy by creating payment channels that are independent of the United States, a European Monetary Fund and an independent SWIFT system," Maas wrote. "Every day the deal is alive is better than the highly explosive crisis that would otherwise threaten the Middle East."
Iran called on Europe to speed up efforts to save the deal after French oil group Total formally pulled out of a major gas project on Monday.
The EU has vowed to counter Trump's renewed sanctions on Iran, including by means of a new law to shield European companies from punitive measures.
"Given the circumstances, it is of strategic importance that we tell Washington clearly: We want to work together," Maas wrote. "But we will not allow you to hurt our interests without consulting us."
ap/rt (AFP, Reuters)
​

Germany: Europe must form a 'counterweight' to US – DW – 08/21/2018

The German foreign minister has said it was high time that Europe reassessed its partnership with the United States. He advocated an EU payment system independent of the US in order to save the nuclear deal with Iran.

www.dw.com

 

[Sineva]

Germany wants Europe to form a 'counterweight' to US

The German foreign minister has said it was high time that Europe reassessed its partnership with the United States. He advocated an EU payment system independent of the US in order to save the nuclear deal with Iran.


German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has said that Europe should form a "counterweight" to the United States whenever Washington "crosses red lines."
In a guest article for German business newspaper Handelsblatt, Maas said Germany wants a "balanced partnership" with the United States, in which it "brings its weight where the US withdraws."
"Single-handedly, we will fail in this task. The main goal of our foreign policy is therefore to build a sovereign, strong Europe," Maas wrote.
Maas' article comes amid strained relations between the US and its European allies after US President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from the EU, and pulled out of a nuclear deal between Iran and major powers.
Europe has been scrambling to persuade Tehran to remain in the 2015 accord. But with European firms wary of far-reaching US financial penalties, it's proving to be a challenge.
Read more: Donald Trump's trade spats with Europe, China and NAFTA ― What you need to know

EU-US trade relationship
More than a trillion euros in trade
The European Union is the US' largest export market, accounting for about one-fifth of all US exports. Similarly, one-fifth of EU exports go to the United States. EU-US trade in goods and services was €1,069.3 billion in 2017. The EU imported €256.2 billion in goods from the US, and exported €375.8 billion.
EU payment system
Maas said Europe needs to set up payment systems independent of the United States if it wants to save the nuclear deal.
"That's why it is indispensable that we strengthen European autonomy by creating payment channels that are independent of the United States, a European Monetary Fund and an independent SWIFT system," Maas wrote. "Every day the deal is alive is better than the highly explosive crisis that would otherwise threaten the Middle East."
Iran called on Europe to speed up efforts to save the deal after French oil group Total formally pulled out of a major gas project on Monday.
The EU has vowed to counter Trump's renewed sanctions on Iran, including by means of a new law to shield European companies from punitive measures.
"Given the circumstances, it is of strategic importance that we tell Washington clearly: We want to work together," Maas wrote. "But we will not allow you to hurt our interests without consulting us."
ap/rt (AFP, Reuters)

Germany: Europe must form a 'counterweight' to US – DW – 08/21/2018

The German foreign minister has said it was high time that Europe reassessed its partnership with the United States. He advocated an EU payment system independent of the US in order to save the nuclear deal with Iran.

www.dw.com

Its a lovely sentiment,unfortunately tho the eurovassals are probably 30 years too late as the time to have done this was right at the beginning of the post cold war era,indeed one could argue that the last time that the eurovassal nations had had true political independence was 80 years ago,just before ww2.Since then they`ve either been the vassals of german fascists,soviet stalinists/communists or us imperialists.So the question is,after so many decades,almost a human life span in fact,of putting ones own political and economic interests a very distant second to those of ones political overlords,do the eurovassals even have the strength of political will necessary to separate themselves from their us overlords,because ultimately without the strength of the political will necessary this sort of thing will remain only a pipe dream......and a distant one at that.

 

[CAPRICORN-88]

Germany wants Europe to form a 'counterweight' to US

The German foreign minister has said it was high time that Europe reassessed its partnership with the United States. He advocated an EU payment system independent of the US in order to save the nuclear deal with Iran.


German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has said that Europe should form a "counterweight" to the United States whenever Washington "crosses red lines."
In a guest article for German business newspaper Handelsblatt, Maas said Germany wants a "balanced partnership" with the United States, in which it "brings its weight where the US withdraws."
"Single-handedly, we will fail in this task. The main goal of our foreign policy is therefore to build a sovereign, strong Europe," Maas wrote.
Maas' article comes amid strained relations between the US and its European allies after US President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from the EU, and pulled out of a nuclear deal between Iran and major powers.
Europe has been scrambling to persuade Tehran to remain in the 2015 accord. But with European firms wary of far-reaching US financial penalties, it's proving to be a challenge.
Read more: Donald Trump's trade spats with Europe, China and NAFTA ― What you need to know

EU-US trade relationship
More than a trillion euros in trade
The European Union is the US' largest export market, accounting for about one-fifth of all US exports. Similarly, one-fifth of EU exports go to the United States. EU-US trade in goods and services was €1,069.3 billion in 2017. The EU imported €256.2 billion in goods from the US, and exported €375.8 billion.
EU payment system
Maas said Europe needs to set up payment systems independent of the United States if it wants to save the nuclear deal.
"That's why it is indispensable that we strengthen European autonomy by creating payment channels that are independent of the United States, a European Monetary Fund and an independent SWIFT system," Maas wrote. "Every day the deal is alive is better than the highly explosive crisis that would otherwise threaten the Middle East."
Iran called on Europe to speed up efforts to save the deal after French oil group Total formally pulled out of a major gas project on Monday.
The EU has vowed to counter Trump's renewed sanctions on Iran, including by means of a new law to shield European companies from punitive measures.
"Given the circumstances, it is of strategic importance that we tell Washington clearly: We want to work together," Maas wrote. "But we will not allow you to hurt our interests without consulting us."
ap/rt (AFP, Reuters)

Germany: Europe must form a 'counterweight' to US – DW – 08/21/2018

The German foreign minister has said it was high time that Europe reassessed its partnership with the United States. He advocated an EU payment system independent of the US in order to save the nuclear deal with Iran.

www.dw.com

A very timely proposal.

 

[Ali_Baba]

To start with, the German Minister should really say "EU" needs to reasses its relationship with the EU and not Europe!!!!

The German Minister or the EU do not speak for us anymore, we have our own voice...


And, "good luck" trying to set an independent payment system...... It is quesitonable if the EU financial system is diverse enough to be able to do that .... The UK can, not sure about the EU ..

 

[Yongpeng Sun-Tastaufen]

Germany has 80 million people. Third Reich scared the crap out of the US. Germany forms one of 4 cornerstones along with Russia, China, US.

 

[PeaceGen]

Germany wants Europe to form a 'counterweight' to US

The German foreign minister has said it was high time that Europe reassessed its partnership with the United States. He advocated an EU payment system independent of the US in order to save the nuclear deal with Iran.


German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has said that Europe should form a "counterweight" to the United States whenever Washington "crosses red lines."
In a guest article for German business newspaper Handelsblatt, Maas said Germany wants a "balanced partnership" with the United States, in which it "brings its weight where the US withdraws."
"Single-handedly, we will fail in this task. The main goal of our foreign policy is therefore to build a sovereign, strong Europe," Maas wrote.
Maas' article comes amid strained relations between the US and its European allies after US President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from the EU, and pulled out of a nuclear deal between Iran and major powers.
Europe has been scrambling to persuade Tehran to remain in the 2015 accord. But with European firms wary of far-reaching US financial penalties, it's proving to be a challenge.
Read more: Donald Trump's trade spats with Europe, China and NAFTA ― What you need to know

EU-US trade relationship
More than a trillion euros in trade
The European Union is the US' largest export market, accounting for about one-fifth of all US exports. Similarly, one-fifth of EU exports go to the United States. EU-US trade in goods and services was €1,069.3 billion in 2017. The EU imported €256.2 billion in goods from the US, and exported €375.8 billion.
EU payment system
Maas said Europe needs to set up payment systems independent of the United States if it wants to save the nuclear deal.
"That's why it is indispensable that we strengthen European autonomy by creating payment channels that are independent of the United States, a European Monetary Fund and an independent SWIFT system," Maas wrote. "Every day the deal is alive is better than the highly explosive crisis that would otherwise threaten the Middle East."
Iran called on Europe to speed up efforts to save the deal after French oil group Total formally pulled out of a major gas project on Monday.
The EU has vowed to counter Trump's renewed sanctions on Iran, including by means of a new law to shield European companies from punitive measures.
"Given the circumstances, it is of strategic importance that we tell Washington clearly: We want to work together," Maas wrote. "But we will not allow you to hurt our interests without consulting us."
ap/rt (AFP, Reuters)

Germany: Europe must form a 'counterweight' to US – DW – 08/21/2018

The German foreign minister has said it was high time that Europe reassessed its partnership with the United States. He advocated an EU payment system independent of the US in order to save the nuclear deal with Iran.

www.dw.com

I have to disagree here.

We only put ourselves at long-term risk of regional instability in the middle east (and the related terrorism risks to western nations along with that), if we don't play hard-ball with the Iranians.

the Iranians can simply not be allowed to pursue ICBM tech and conventional weapons purchases under the old Iran-nuclear deal. That is *why* Trump got out of that deal, and in my opinion he was right to do so.

Also, driving a wedge between the US, who still are the greatest guarantee for European sovereignty, and the EU, is simply not advisable.

 

[fitpOsitive]

Germany wants Europe to form a 'counterweight' to US

The German foreign minister has said it was high time that Europe reassessed its partnership with the United States. He advocated an EU payment system independent of the US in order to save the nuclear deal with Iran.


German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has said that Europe should form a "counterweight" to the United States whenever Washington "crosses red lines."
In a guest article for German business newspaper Handelsblatt, Maas said Germany wants a "balanced partnership" with the United States, in which it "brings its weight where the US withdraws."
"Single-handedly, we will fail in this task. The main goal of our foreign policy is therefore to build a sovereign, strong Europe," Maas wrote.
Maas' article comes amid strained relations between the US and its European allies after US President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from the EU, and pulled out of a nuclear deal between Iran and major powers.
Europe has been scrambling to persuade Tehran to remain in the 2015 accord. But with European firms wary of far-reaching US financial penalties, it's proving to be a challenge.
Read more: Donald Trump's trade spats with Europe, China and NAFTA ― What you need to know

EU-US trade relationship
More than a trillion euros in trade
The European Union is the US' largest export market, accounting for about one-fifth of all US exports. Similarly, one-fifth of EU exports go to the United States. EU-US trade in goods and services was €1,069.3 billion in 2017. The EU imported €256.2 billion in goods from the US, and exported €375.8 billion.
EU payment system
Maas said Europe needs to set up payment systems independent of the United States if it wants to save the nuclear deal.
"That's why it is indispensable that we strengthen European autonomy by creating payment channels that are independent of the United States, a European Monetary Fund and an independent SWIFT system," Maas wrote. "Every day the deal is alive is better than the highly explosive crisis that would otherwise threaten the Middle East."
Iran called on Europe to speed up efforts to save the deal after French oil group Total formally pulled out of a major gas project on Monday.
The EU has vowed to counter Trump's renewed sanctions on Iran, including by means of a new law to shield European companies from punitive measures.
"Given the circumstances, it is of strategic importance that we tell Washington clearly: We want to work together," Maas wrote. "But we will not allow you to hurt our interests without consulting us."
ap/rt (AFP, Reuters)

Germany: Europe must form a 'counterweight' to US – DW – 08/21/2018

The German foreign minister has said it was high time that Europe reassessed its partnership with the United States. He advocated an EU payment system independent of the US in order to save the nuclear deal with Iran.

www.dw.com

Very very usefull initiative. Meanwhile Saudia and others can also break chains by accepting payments in Chinese Yuan , Russians Rubel and Euro.... Perfect timing, I will say.

 

[PeaceGen]

Very very usefull initiative. Meanwhile Saudia and others can also break chains by accepting payments in Chinese Yuan , Russians Rubel and Euro.... Perfect timing, I will say.

are you forgetting that the Saudis "and others" are totally reliant on getting the latest and best defense tech from the US, not anywhere else? i bet they'll stick to dollars-only policies.

 

[fitpOsitive]

are you forgetting that the Saudis "and others" are totally reliant on getting the latest and best defense tech from the US, not anywhere else? i bet they'll stick to dollars-only policies.

I have seen how useful that war equipment in saving nations.
May God guide these guys the right path.

 

[FuturePAF]

Where have we heard this before? Seriously though, the German people don’t want to over spend on defense. Their economic clout is more of a deterrent to the Russians (or the Chinese) than anything else. They do need at least the ability to deal with “Black swan events”; the relatively few Iranian and North Korean Missiles in case these counties destabilize; Aster 30 Block 2 BMD.

Having said that, if they can maintain conventional superiority over Russia will allow them to stay out of all but NATO Article 5 commitments

 

[Beast]

To start with, the German Minister should really say "EU" needs to reasses its relationship with the EU and not Europe!!!!

The German Minister or the EU do not speak for us anymore, we have our own voice...


And, "good luck" trying to set an independent payment system...... It is quesitonable if the EU financial system is diverse enough to be able to do that .... The UK can, not sure about the EU ..

Can Europe survive without Germany, it can't... Germany is the head of Europe and most powerful economy in Europe. It has its point to speak for Europe.

UK has reduced itself to be a sidekick of American. It even need USA permission just to wrangle it's tail. British Johnson as PM of UK is nothing but disaster. He cannot see UK beyond without US. What a useless fellow.

 

[Jazzbot]

Very very usefull initiative. Meanwhile Saudia and others can also break chains by accepting payments in Chinese Yuan , Russians Rubel and Euro.... Perfect timing, I will say.

Do you really think all those Bin Dollar idiots will ever do anything that is even remotely against US interests?

 

[Beidou2020]

I have to disagree here.

We only put ourselves at long-term risk of regional instability in the middle east (and the related terrorism risks to western nations along with that), if we don't play hard-ball with the Iranians.

the Iranians can simply not be allowed to pursue ICBM tech and conventional weapons purchases under the old Iran-nuclear deal. That is *why* Trump got out of that deal, and in my opinion he was right to do so.

Also, driving a wedge between the US, who still are the greatest guarantee for European sovereignty, and the EU, is simply not advisable.

Iran should build ICBMs and nuclear weapons. Russia and China should assist Iran in its quest. That’s the only way to deter against Western gangsters. A strong Iran is an excellent counterbalance to Western global aggression.

 

[bshifter]

Can Europe survive without Germany, it can't... Germany is the head of Europe and most powerful economy in Europe. It has its point to speak for Europe.

UK has reduced itself to be a sidekick of American. It even need USA permission just to wrangle it's tail. British Johnson as PM of UK is nothing but disaster. He cannot see UK beyond without US. What a useless fellow.

UK is only 1 country in Europe that can speak for itself while the rest of Europe understands the importance of German voice which has the biggest and most powerful economy in that continent. If there's a country that has an influential policy within Europe it would be Germany. UK is an isolated European country that separates itself from the rest of the gang.

 

[Han Patriot]

Thank god UK is out. EU can now reduce US hegemony