The Transatlantic Relation in Times of Multipolarity: European Security Implications

Abstract

"6 We should bear in mind that these countries depend to various extents on Western markets for their exports, be they energy or goods. [...]a statement on the "U.S., European, and Japanese share of global income (being) projected to fall from 56 percent today to well under half by 2030" must be balanced with a general overview of some of the limitations of the BRICS.7 They are facing severe internal imbalances and disparities, such as GDP per capita distribution; the stages of development of their internal provinces, regions, and states (in areas like infrastructure, health care, living standards, etc.); and a medium to high potential for internal conflict on ethnic, religious, territorial, social, and democracy-related grounds. [...]in a multipolar, polycentric, multimodal, or even multiplex world, both the U.S. and Europe would, by definition, lose a part of their influence on world affairs, and as a consequence they would find themselves in a position of increased dependence on each other, mutually reinforcing, based on their shared history, values, and-hopefully-vision, interests, and trust, addressing challenges that we cannot deal with separately, such as climate change, changes in global governance, cyber (in)security, and so on.