Turkish FM urges European unity as US reduces its security role

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said that Europe must respond to U.S. President Donald Trump's drive to reduce Washington's role in European security by forming a new center of power on the continent.

In an interview with The Financial Times, Fidan said that the US president’s actions are “a wake-up call for us to unite and design our own centre of gravity,” per Caliber.Az.

He noted that Türkiye would want to be part of any new European security architecture if NATO unravels.

To note, multiple American media reports indicate that Trump and his administration pushed for a significant drawdown of U.S. forces in Europe. For example, some sources noted proposals to withdraw tens of thousands of troops from Germany and other bases while pressing European allies to shoulder more of their own defense costs. This move is framed as an effort to reduce American overextension and redirect resources toward priorities in the Indo-Pacific region

The reorientation of U.S. priorities toward the Indo-Pacific, coupled with Trump’s apparent de-emphasis on Europe, has raised concerns about the reliability of the U.S. as a security guarantor. This shift may force Europe to develop its own robust security system—a process that will take time and could alter the long-established global order.

Ultimately, Trump’s drive may catalyze a new center of power in Europe, challenging the post–World War II framework that placed the U.S. at the helm of Western security. Whether this transition will be smooth or lead to further instability remains a central question for policymakers.

In response to Trump’s policies, many European nations are now exploring greater defense spending and initiatives to become less dependent on U.S. military guarantees. This includes increased funding, collaborative projects like PESCO, and even new diplomatic groupings (such as Weimar+) to negotiate a more balanced European security framework.

By Khagan Isayev