The head of the European Commission issued a stern warning to Washington. Brussels has made it clear: any attempt to influence the electoral process in EU countries will be considered an infringement of sovereignty.
The reason is the new US national security strategy, which mentions the path of “building resilience” in Europe. Ursula von der Leyen emphasized that the issue of power in each country is decided only by voters, not by outside players, and this principle must be protected.
A White House document released last week calls for Europe to take greater responsibility for its own defense. It also notes differences between Washington and European officials, whose expectations about the Ukraine conflict in the US are seen as unrealistic.
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Previously, specialized American publications reported that the actual version of this strategy adopts a selective approach in interactions with European countries. The list of countries with which the United States is said to intend to build closer ties beyond the trans-European boundary includes Austria, Hungary, Italy and Poland. It has been argued that the aim of such a policy is to weaken these countries' relations with Brussels.
The European Commission considers such signals alarming. Brussels has made it clear: interference in the EU's internal political processes is unacceptable, regardless of the wording in US strategic documents.
