Capitulation on the golf course The Old Continent gives way

It can now be said that the long-anticipated moment — Europe being bent over backward with Trump’s return to the White House — has finally arrived. Recently, the European Union and the United States agreed that tariffs on most European goods imported into the U.S. would be set at 15%, significantly higher than the average import duty in place before Donald Trump launched his trade war. This is being presented as a major victory for the EU, as Trump had previously threatened to impose tariffs of up to 30%. In exchange for this “discount,” however, Europe has pledged to invest an additional $600 billion into the American economy. Moreover, the tariff on American goods imported into Europe will be set at zero. Checkmate.

The setting of the deal is no less striking. Trump — a Scotsman on his mother’s side — was at his estate in Scotland, amusing himself with a round of golf, when he was interrupted by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to finalise the agreement. It is hard to imagine a more symbolic image of united Europe’s humiliation: its leader travelling to the American president’s European domain to plead for mercy. Perhaps she would have preferred to do this under different circumstances, but time was of the essence — this Friday, August 1, the new U.S. tariffs on EU exports were set to take effect, namely those dreaded 30% duties.

“It's 15% tariffs across the board, all-inclusive. The investments Mr. President just described that are going to go to the United States, and the purchases over there—indeed, basically, the European market is open. It's 450 million people. Um, so it's a good deal. It's a huge deal,” was all von der Leyen could muster.

Meanwhile, the expression on her face said more than her words.

“They are going to agree to invest into the United States $600 billion more than they're investing already. So, they're investing a large amount of money. You know what that amount of money is? It's very substantial. But they're going to invest an additional $600 billion. They're agreeing to open up their countries to trade at zero tariff.,” Trump continued, hammering the point home.

The deal also includes an EU commitment to purchase American energy resources worth a total of $750 billion. According to European media, such a trade agreement will allow Europe, three years after the outbreak of hostilities in Ukraine, to finally wean itself off Russian oil and gas completely. In other words, while maintaining a semblance of loyalty to its own ideals, Europe is presenting the deal as a great achievement — despite the fact that American hydrocarbons will (and already do) cost them significantly more than Russian ones.

Still, not everyone in Europe shares the EU leader’s forced optimism. The European press is full of outraged commentary from experts.

“The EU is emerging from the negotiations with the U.S. as the loser,” writes Süddeutsche Zeitung. But even more damaging, in its view, is the fact that Trump has succeeded in reshaping the global trade discourse to suit his own narrative. “It’s a kind of framing — tailoring reality to fit a desired framework. Trump is a master at it. And the U.S.’s allies — whom Trump sees as adversaries — fall right into the trap,” the paper laments.

Politicians aren’t staying silent either. “The von der Leyen–Trump agreement marks a dark day — when a union of free nations, assembled to uphold their values and protect their interests, chooses to surrender,” declared French Prime Minister François Bayrou with dramatic flair.

That said, the agreement has not yet entered into force — it must still undergo ratification both in EU member states and in the U.S. Congress. For now, it’s time to grab some popcorn and watch as the proud Europeans wrestle with whether or not to give it the force of law. Yet even if they do, would that not signal the end of the European Union as we know it?

Incidentally, the aforementioned multi-billion-dollar investments are earmarked for the development of artificial intelligence, as well as — according to Trump, though without citing specific figures — a massive amount of military hardware that Europe will now purchase from the United States. In other words, the Europeans have practically declared their readiness to sacrifice the development of their most critical strategic sectors for the benefit of America.

Thus, it’s safe to say that Europe is bidding farewell to its dreams of sovereign power, geopolitical might, and meaningful influence on the global stage. Never before has the term “Collective West,” used to refer to Europe and America, so closely reflected the actual balance of power. Only it didn’t happen through the unification of two equal centres of strength, but rather through the absorption of the Old Continent by a resurgent giant called America, now fully awakened from its long slumber.