The United States Declares War on Europe

Analysis of the New National Security Strategy

by Michael Hollister
Published at apolut media on January 08, 2026

1.804 words * 10 minutes readingtime

1. The Break Nobody Wants to See

Introduction

It’s a rupture of historic proportions—and nobody’s talking about it. While German politicians fantasize about “war-readiness” and “victory capability,” the United States has long since created a new strategic reality: For Washington, Europe is no longer a partner, but a risk. In the new National Security Strategy (NSS) of the United States, analyzed by former UN inspector Scott Ritter, Europe isn’t merely benched—it’s designated as an ideological opponent, as a threat to American interests and values.

Anyone still speaking of transatlantic friendship hasn’t read the memo—or doesn’t want to understand it. Because what’s formulated here is a cold strategic reckoning: The USA is turning away. Not abruptly, not militarily. But methodically, with maximum effect. First, decouple energetically. Then devalue economically. And finally, isolate politically. What remains is a continent that overestimates itself, considers itself irreplaceable—while no longer even qualifying as a reliable ally.

It’s a break that isn’t coming.

It’s already here.

2. The Strategic Double Strike: First Weaken, Then Drop

What Washington is doing to Europe follows no whim. It’s a strategic double strike—and it lands hard.

First Strike: Energy and Economic Decoupling

With the Nord Stream sabotage—about whose authorship no serious analyst still has doubts—Germany’s industrial backbone was severed. The loss of cheap Russian energy hasn’t just caused production costs to explode, but has also driven out investments, facilities, entire value chains from the country. Not Russia, not China—the USA economically disarmed Europe. With full intent.

Second Strike: Political Devaluation and Disposal

Scarcely has Europe become energetically dependent on American LNG when the next kick comes—this time on the diplomatic level. The new National Security Strategy makes clear: Europe is no longer an indispensable partner. It literally states that “it is far from obvious whether certain European countries will have economies and militaries strong enough to remain reliable allies.”

Europe is, from the US perspective, no longer a strategic asset—but a security risk, an ideology problem, an alliance burden.

The sequence is decisive: First pull the plug—then shrug your shoulders.

What sounds like brutal calculation is exactly that. The USA secures its primacy in the global system by neutralizing potential competitors early. Germany, once geostrategically predestined for mediation, independence, and economic strength, became a useful idiot, a burned asset. And the rest of Europe along with it.

3. Europe as Ideological Enemy

It’s a break with decades of rhetoric: Not Russia, but Europe is named as an ideological problem in the new US security strategy. More precisely: the EU elites, transnational institutions, the globalist power apparatus—they all now represent, from Washington’s view, a value system incompatible with the American understanding of freedom.

“Europe has become a source of ideologies incompatible with US notions of freedom.”

Concretely, this means: The USA no longer sees itself in a values alliance with Brussels, Berlin, or Paris. Instead, they deplore censorship of political opposition, the loss of national identities, declining birth rates, rootlessness through migration, and a political class that operates democracy only as facade.

As Scott Ritter analyzes, this constitutes an ideological war. Not against Europe as a continent, but against those steering it toward authoritarian technocracy. Against those restricting freedom of speech, introducing digital surveillance, and branding patriotic movements as dangers. For Washington, this is no longer part of a liberal order, but part of a problem destroying the West itself.

Europe is, according to the NSS, “fundamentally incompatible with American interests and values.”

And while German media continue dreaming of transatlantic solidarity, the USA has long since switched: They’re betting on bilateral deals, on national sovereignty, on self-responsibility—and positioning themselves against those who want to establish a synchronized administration without democratic foundation in Europe.

The new line is clear:

Less EU—more Europe.

But one that knows who it is again.

4. The Ukraine War as Dividing Line

The war in Ukraine was long the symbolic bond meant to hold the West together: “Democracy against autocracy,” “Freedom against dictatorship,” “Europe against Russia.” But precisely here, the new US doctrine draws a red line—against Europe.

While Berlin, Brussels, and Warsaw continue betting on escalation, Washington long ago sees the war as a strategic dead end. The NSS openly states that the goal now is to end the war as quickly as possible to stabilize European economies, minimize escalation risks, and find a new strategic balance with Russia.

In short: Diplomacy instead of perpetual war.

Europe sees it differently—and that’s precisely the break.

“The Trump Administration finds itself at odds with European officials who hold unrealistic expectations for the war perched in unstable minority governments, many of which trample on basic principles of democracy to suppress opposition.”

In other words: The USA accuses Europe of unnecessarily prolonging the war, blocking a political solution, and thereby ruining the continent economically and socially.

These governments, according to the NSS, are unstable, antidemocratic, and incapable of course correction—quote: “subversion of democratic processes.”

And then comes the sentence that Ritter throws into the room like a geopolitical hand grenade:

“Russia is not the enemy. Europe is.”

This statement marks the end of transatlantic unity. Because if Russia is no longer enemy number one—what’s the point of NATO, the sanctions, the weapons deliveries?

Answer: There is none anymore.

The USA has grasped this.

Europe hasn’t.

5. The New US Axis: Bilateral Deals Instead of Western Alliances

The era of grand alliances is over—at least from the US perspective. The new National Security Strategy draws a clear line under the concept of global alliances according to the old pattern: Multilateralism, norm export, and institutional interdependence are replaced by bilateral purpose partnerships. No longer loyalty counts, but capability and strategic added value.

This is called in the NSS: “Flexible Realism.”

“US policy will be realistic about what is possible and desirable in its dealings with other nations.”

The ideological superstructure of earlier decades—democracy, human rights, Western values community—is being buried. The USA openly declares it wants to cooperate also with states whose systems and societies differ strongly from their own. Decisive is: Who benefits American interests? Who delivers? Who doesn’t stand in the way?

Europe fails in this logic. It is:

• Ideologically recalcitrant
• Economically battered
• Militarily dependent
• And geopolitically increasingly dysfunctional

Instead, new strategic windows open:

Brazil. India. Saudi Arabia. Israel. Poland. Japan.

There you find growth, military will, geopolitical ambition—and no moral theater.

The USA is currently building itself a new axis of pragmatic power relationships, in which Europe is at best a spectator. NATO? Won’t be dissolved—but also no longer taken seriously. EU? No longer a central contact. Germany? Energetically on the drip, economically on shrinking course, politically in crisis.

Washington makes clear:

“We help where it’s worthwhile. We leave when it no longer benefits us.”

Europe may watch.

Or wake up.

6. Germany Crawls—And Doesn’t Notice

While the USA drops Europe, German politicians crawl after them on their knees. Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU), who replaced Olaf Scholz after the early federal election in February 2025, declared on December 9, 2025, during an inaugural visit to Rhineland-Palatinate:

“You also need partners in the world, and one of the partners can be Europe. And if you can’t do anything with Europe, then at least make Germany your partner.”

This is no longer statecraft. This is submission.

Merz doesn’t understand that the USA has done exactly that: They’ve written off Europe as a whole—and Germany along with it. The “hot potato” is being dropped, and Berlin runs after it to catch it.

Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP) commented on X (formerly Twitter):

“Once again a devastatingly unwise statement by Chancellor Merz at a time when a united Europe is more important than ever. Merz wanted to lead in Europe and now breaks ranks when things get tight. That’s irresponsible. Trump is laughing up his sleeve.”

The new US doctrine is clear: Bilateral deals only with those who bring strategic added value. Germany, energetically castrated, economically shrinking, militarily toothless, isn’t among them.

The USA has written off Germany as strategic disposable mass.

Merz just hasn’t grasped it yet.

7. Conclusion: Europe Stands Alone

Europe has gambled and lost.

First, it blindly followed the transatlantic course against Russia—and let itself be economically decoupled by the USA. Then it tried to assume the role of moral world teacher—while its own democracy was gradually hollowed out. Now Washington determines: This Europe is no longer a strategic partner.

The new US security doctrine says it openly:

• Europe is weak
• Europe has ideologically drifted
• Europe blocks peace solutions
• Europe endangers American interests

The break is here. Only the Europeans don’t notice it.

In Berlin, they continue dreaming of “leading power,” while the reality consists of standing militarily disarmed, economically hollowed out, and politically foreign-controlled—incapable of self-assertion, incapable of self-criticism.

What remains now is a continent without backing:

• The USA turns away
• Russia is declared the enemy
• China stays distant
• And within Europe reign political instability, social fragmentation, and economic decline

Anyone who doesn’t understand that the transatlantic era is ending will wake up in geopolitical no-man’s-land.

What to Do?

Europe must be honest with itself. No more transatlantic illusions. No vassal loyalty. Instead:

1. Restore energy autonomy—with or without Russia, but without US dependency
2. Build military sovereignty—not for NATO, but for own interests
3. Reclaim political self-determination—national democracies instead of EU technocracy

The USA has pulled Europe’s plug. Now Europe must learn to ride without training wheels.

Or it becomes geopolitical disposable mass between Washington, Moscow, and Beijing.

Closing

It’s time to be honest:

Not Russia pulled Europe’s plug.

Not China colonized Europe.

The USA used Europe as a tool—and now disposed of it.

Anyone who doesn’t want to see this should read this article again from the beginning.

Michael Hollister is a geopolitical analyst and investigative journalist. He served six years in the German military, including peacekeeping deployments in the Balkans (SFOR, KFOR), followed by 14 years in IT security management. His analysis draws on primary sources to examine European militarization, Western intervention policy, and shifting power dynamics across Asia. A particular focus of his work lies in Southeast Asia, where he investigates strategic dependencies, spheres of influence, and security architectures. Hollister combines operational insider perspective with uncompromising systemic critique—beyond opinion journalism. His work appears on his bilingual website (German/English) www.michael-hollister.com, at Substack at https://michaelhollister.substack.com and in investigative outlets across the German-speaking world and the Anglosphere.

© Michael Hollister— Redistribution, publication or reuse of this text is explicitly welcome. The only requirement is proper source attribution and a link to www.michael-hollister.com (or in printed form the note “Source: www.michael-hollister.com”).

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