strategic autonomy

{{Short description|Ability of a state to act without outside help}}Strategic autonomy is defined as the ability of a state to pursue its national interests and adopt its preferred foreign policy without depending heavily on other foreign states.{{Cite web|title=Aravind Devanathan asked: What is 'strategic autonomy'? How does it help India's security? {{!}} Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses|url=https://idsa.in/askanexpert/strategicautonomy_indiasecurity|access-date=2021-12-04|website=idsa.in}}

In the European context, strategic autonomy is the ability of the European Union to not be overly reliant on the United States, defend Europe, and act militarily for the strategic purposes of affording a political autonomy independent from US foreign policies.{{cite news |last= Erlanger|first=Steven |date=May 23, 2020 |title=European Defense and 'Strategic Autonomy' Are Also Coronavirus Victims|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/23/world/europe/defense-autonomy-europe-coronavirus.html|work=The New York Times |location= |access-date=December 26, 2020}}

European Union

{{infobox event

| name = Strategic autonomy

| image = European Council (39067014531).jpg

| caption = European Council, 2017

| date = 2016–present

| participants = {{flag|EU}}

| theme = Geopolitical great power competition

}}

An early reference to strategic autonomy in the discussions of the European Council can be dated back to December 2013, when it called for the development of European defense capabilities to enhance the strategic autonomy of the European Union.{{cite web| url= https://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/en/ec/140245.pdf | title= Conclusions of the European Council of 19/20 December 2013|publisher=European Council | date=December 20, 2013 |access-date=December 27, 2020}}

In 2016, strategic autonomy became part of the European Union Global Strategy doctrine to improve the EU's defense capabilities, including the creation of a European Defence Fund in 2017. Strategic autonomy also became central to the European Commission, led by Ursula von der Leyen.{{cite news| url= https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/12/world/europe/coronavirus-eu-trump.html | title= Coronavirus Tests Europe's Cohesion, Alliances and Even Democracy | last=Erlanger| first=Steven| work=The New York Times | date=March 12, 2020 |access-date=December 27, 2020}} Members of the Von der Leyen Commission, including Josep Borrell and Thierry Breton, claimed that Europe's soft power needs to be complemented by a harder power dimension.{{cite news| url= https://www.ceps.eu/why-the-eu-needs-a-geopolitical-commission/ | title= Why the EU needs a geopolitical Commission | last= Blockmans| first=Steven| publisher=Centre for European Policy Studies | date=September 15, 2020 |access-date=December 27, 2020}}

After the 2020 United States presidential election, France advocated for European strategic autonomy.{{cite news| url= https://www.ekathimerini.com/259655/opinion/ekathimerini/comment/strategic-autonomy-for-europe-in-the-post-trump-era | title= Strategic autonomy for Europe in the post-Trump era | last= Pagoulatos| first= George |publisher=Kathimerini| date=November 30, 2020 |access-date=December 27, 2020}} Strategic autonomy for the EU is a concept that includes economic, energy and digital policy{{cite news |last= |first= |date=November 9, 2020 |title= Europe on a Power Trip|url=https://euscream.com/europe-on-a-power-trip-transcript/ |work= EU Scream |location= |access-date=December 26, 2020}} as well as initiatives such as GAIA-X. EU Member States display different preferences than France when it comes to the priorities of a strategic autonomy policy.{{cite news| url= https://www.politico.eu/article/europe-trade-wants-strategic-autonomy-decide-what-means/ | title= Europe wants 'strategic autonomy' — it just has to decide what that means | last= Tamma| first= Paola |publisher=Politico| date=November 30, 2020 |access-date=October 15, 2020}}

Strategic autonomy expanded to digital policy of the EU to ascertain European sovereignty against China.{{cite news| url= https://www.euractiv.com/section/digital/news/geopolitical-europe-aims-to-extend-its-digital-sovereignty-versus-china/ | title= 'Geopolitical' Europe aims to extend its digital sovereignty from China| last= Grüll | first= Philipp| publisher=EURACTIV| date=September 11, 2020 |access-date=December 27, 2020}}

= Biden era =

As early as December 2020, strategic autonomy was a priority in European defense policy. This was professed by Josep Borrell, who saw Donald Trump as an unreliable partner in a retrospective speech.{{cite news| url= https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/interview/borrell-trump-has-awakened-us-from-strategic-sleepwalking/ | title= Borrell: Trump has awakened us from strategic sleepwalking | last= Cañas | first= Gabriela |publisher=EURACTIV| date=December 17, 2020 |access-date=December 27, 2020}} The goal of strategic autonomy was not to act alone militarily and to characterize the EU as non-interventionist.

The election of Joe Biden in the United States brought expectations of a Euro-Atlantic unity to be reconciled with the strategic autonomy of the EU. The New York Times saw Biden's election bringing discord between France and Germany over the future of European defense and strategic autonomy.{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/24/world/europe/trump-macron-merkel-france-germany.html| title= As Trump Exits, Rifts in Europe Widen Again | last=Erlanger| first=Steven |work=The New York Times | date=November 24, 2020 |access-date=December 26, 2020}} In November 2021, the Biden administration urged the EU to develop its own credible military capabilities.{{cite news |last= Herszenhorn |first=David |date= 19 November 2021|title=Biden's team wants EU allies to get real on 'strategic autonomy' |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/joe-biden-us-eu-strategic-autonomy-brussels-g20/ |work= Politico|location= |access-date=25 February 2022}}

The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine was perceived by Emmanuel Macron as an attack on the institutions of the EU and a test of European strategic autonomy.{{cite news |last= Popp|first=Maximilian |date= 25 February 2022|title=Putin's Attack Is Aimed at Europe |url=https://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/russia-s-invasion-putin-s-attack-is-aimed-at-europe-a-15d72864-f2ab-45e5-942d-f64dc8aac3e0 |work= Der Spiegel|location= |access-date=25 February 2022}}

On 2 December 2022, Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said that Europe must strengthen its defenses because they are currently “not strong enough” to stand up to Russia's invasion of Ukraine alone, and have been relying on American support.{{cite news|date=2 December 2022|title=Finland's Sanna Marin says Europe would be in trouble without US|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-63838350|work=BCC News|location=|access-date=2 December 2022}}

In April 2023, after a three-day state visit to China, Macron called for the EU to reduce its dependence on the US to attain European strategic autonomy away from Washington and avoid being drawn into a confrontation between the US and China over Taiwan.{{cite web |last1=Anderlini |first1=Jamil |last2=Caulcutt |first2=Clea |title=Europe must resist pressure to become 'America's followers,' says Macron |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/emmanuel-macron-china-america-pressure-interview/ |access-date=10 April 2023 |website=politico.eu |publisher=POLITICO}} Macron had also advocated that Europe should become a "third superpower.” According to Macron, Europe should focus on boosting its own defense industries and on reducing dependence on the extraterritoriality of the US dollar.

See also

References