Celeste Wallander, Assistant Secretary of Defense, has sought to address the security concerns of Washington’s European allies.
The Ukraine conflict has raised questions about the US’s global standing, Celeste Wallander, the country’s Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, acknowledged on Tuesday. The senior official attempted to alleviate concerns about the future of Washington’s security cooperation with its Western European allies in dealing with Russia.
Speaking at a panel discussion at the Warsaw Security Forum this week, Wallander asserted that “American global credibility is at stake” in Ukraine. In light of this challenge, she continued, “the United States and Europe .. must work together for credible defense and deterrence against Russia.”
“The United States needs Europe – it’s not just Europe that needs the United States,” Wallander stated. She highlighted the substantial defense aid provided to Kiev by its European allies, as well as their role in facilitating the transfer of US military assistance to Ukraine.
The senior Pentagon official also sought to dispel concerns that, if elected, Donald Trump would oppose the European Union’s own defense initiatives, distinct from those undertaken under the auspices of NATO.
During his first term, Trump repeatedly accused European NATO member states of relying on Washington for defense without contributing sufficiently. He also threatened to withdraw US security support from nations failing to meet the agreed defense spending target for member states.
“What I want to emphasize is that Europe is not going to defend itself alone,” Wallander said on Tuesday, adding that “talking of Europe versus the United States… actually sends the wrong message, not only to Moscow but to Beijing.”
Last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that the “United States is doing everything to hold on to its global military and political dominance, no matter the cost.”