Iran War Tests the US‑EU Bond, Pushing Europe Toward Strategic Autonomy
The Iran strikes in 2026 exposed deep fractures in the US–European partnership: Europe resisted U.S. basing demands and warned of imperial overreach, while Washington threatened economic retaliation. Unlike 2003, the current crisis shows Washington seeking less European input, prompting Europe to lean on its own tools — a €90 billion Ukraine debt package, anti-coercion trade options and intensified deterrence planning — signaling that Europe may pursue strategic autonomy even as it remains partially dependent on U.S. security in some areas. The episode echoes past Suez-era lessons but in reverse, suggesting the transatlantic bargain is giving way to a parallel, not a renewed, alliance as Europe recalibrates its role on the world stage.
