U.S. President Donald Trump signs a memorandum declaring his intention to withdraw from Iranian nuke deal at the White House in Washington D.C., the U.S., on May 8, 2018. (Xinhua/Ting Shen)
by Xinhua writer Tian Dongdong
BRUSSELS, May 11 (Xinhua) -- For the Europeans who expected the United States to put the transatlantic alliance first and stay in the Iran nuclear deal, U.S. President Donald Trump's relentless withdrawal from the deal on Tuesday was a wake-up call.
By driving a stake through the heart of the deal, Trump not only threw Europe's trust towards Washington on the issue into dustbin, but also put America's global credibility in question. After all, America had once joined the multilateral negotiation and signed the hard-won agreement.
"This breaks the trust in the international order...Although the deal was far from ideal and many issues still remain unresolved, the U.S. withdrawal is a cause of great concern and regret," German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Friday in the German city of Muenster.
The transatlantic relationship is now in its biggest rift since the Iraq war, with allies on each coast talking past each other on almost every page, ranging from trade to climate change and even shared values -- their bond of blood.
"This is not the first time Europeans have been confronted with Mr Trump's disdain for an international order that used to underwrite U.S. global leadership. America First has seen him quit the Paris climate change accord, jettison the idea of a two state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict, tear up trade agreements and question the NATO alliance...(The withdrawal) marks the biggest rupture in transatlantic relations since the end of the Cold War and mocks the West's efforts to uphold a rules-based order," said Philip Stephens, an associate editor of the Financial Times.
But now all the pipe dreams and illusions have gone. Shortly after Trump's withdrawal announcement, the European Union's (EU) foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said Europe would stand by the international nuclear accord with Iran and "is determined to preserve it".
It seemed that Europe has finally understood Trump's message: when the United States makes a decision, allies have to follow, whether they like it or not. In Trump's words Tuesday, "the United States no longer makes empty threats. When I make promises, I keep them."
In most European capitals, the first reaction to this wrecking strategy is to say America is now on its own.
Foreign ministers from EU member states are expected to meet in London on Monday with Iran to save the Iran nuclear deal, despite Trump's pulling out.
"Foreign ministers aim to reassure Tehran that the nuclear deal is salvageable at a meeting currently slated for Monday in London which they are expecting their Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif to attend," according to Britain's Guardian newspaper.
EU ministers hope to put forward a credible package to assuage Iranian fears about the effect of Trump's decision on EU-Iranian trade, the newspaper said.
"The ministers recognize that Iran will only stay inside the deal if it is confident that the promised economic benefits can survive U.S. sanctions," the newspaper said. "But they were keen to stress that Trump's move had not necessarily dealt the agreement a fatal blow."
But besides withdrawal from the deal, Trump has also made many other promises, including that the EU should yield for permanent exemption of the steel and aluminum tariffs before June 1, and European allies should increase military expenses or stop free riding, among others.
If Trump really means his words, there will be more holding-gun-to-EU's-head (Macron said last March) moments in the near future. Being more obedient to Washington or fighting for equal rights as an ally? That is the question. Luckily, the ball is now in Europe's court.
