Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- In the American system of alliances, transatlantic relations between Europe and North America occupy a special place. They are traditionally viewed by Washington as one of the foundations of US influence in the world. Their most important component is military-political and military-economic ties.

I. Currently, the EU’s security dependence on the US has diminished. Contradictions arose in matters of strategic vision of the international situation. Washington is focused on the implementation of its national interests around the world, the EU is more focused on ensuring the security of its region and the nearest periphery - eastern Europe, northern Africa, and the eastern Mediterranean.

Experts note that during the presidency of Donald Trump in the United States, a number of contradictions emerged in transatlantic relations. The criticism of NATO allies for the lack of their military spending was complemented by unilateral actions by the American administration.

Introduction of a number of trade duties affecting the EU, refusal to participate in international organizations (withdrawal from UNESCO in 2018, suspension of WHO sponsorship in 2020) and treaties (termination of the INF Treaty in 2019, participation in the Paris Agreement in 2020 ) served as a negative signal for Europeans.

Under these conditions, German Chancellor A. Merkel declared the need for Europe "to take its fate into its own hands," and French President E. Macron spoke in favor of creating a European army and called for strategic autonomy of the "Old World".

Against this background, experts highlight some new features of the relationship between the US and the EU in the defense sphere. In the US National Security Strategies, Europe is traditionally viewed as a key military and political ally. The strategic independence of Europe is a pillar for the preservation of the liberal world order. The United States supports the development of European defense initiatives, including the defense industry. At the same time, Washington is carefully analyzing European projects in the field of security.

Experts note that the United States proceeds from the fact that it needs a strong Europe, but does not need a strong European Union.

Washington traditionally believes that Europe should pay more attention to modernizing, streamlining and sometimes using its military capabilities, rather than creating new institutional defense structures.

II. Based on this approach, the main contradictions between the US and the EU arise around the EU Commission’s initiatives to promote the European Defense Fund (EDF) and the Permanent Structured Cooperation on Security and Defense (PESCO).

EDF, which is part of the Common Security and Defense Policy of the EU, was founded in 2017. Its activities are aimed at financial support of European R&D.

The Fund provides financing in two directions. First, it is research work, for which 90 million euros were allocated for 2019-2020, and then it is planned to spend 500 million euros annually in 2021-2027.

Secondly, this is the direction of "development and implementation". Here in 2019-2020. 500 million euros were allocated and then for the period 2021-2027. it is planned to allocate 1 billion euros annually. At the same time, at least three-member countries must participate in each project with the support of the European Defense Fund. This will make the EU one of the largest investors in military research and technology, and will also serve as a "catalyst for the development of an innovative and competitive industrial and scientific base."

According to European experts, the activity of PESCO, founded in 2018, is to expand the defense capabilities of the EU member states to carry out national and multinational missions and operations.

Currently, 47 projects are being implemented within the framework of PESCO, which were adopted on the basis of three packages in 2018–2019. An important feature of the Permanent Structured Cooperation is the conditions for participation. Compliance with the agreements on the adopted projects is legally binding for the member countries.

So far, the US response to the creation of EDF and PESCO has been to warn against duplicating NATO.

In response, the EU argues that this structured cooperation is in response to requests from Washington to increase the European contribution to NATO activities. At the same time, according to American experts, PESCO is an attempt to create an alternative military structure.

At the same time, Washington draws attention to the problems of bilateral trade and access to projects. The Pentagon calls the closure of access to PESCO projects and the emerging protectionism in the European defense industry market as the most important challenges posed by new EU initiatives.

First, it is a question of the future presence of American companies in the European arms market, their ability to maintain their existing share and increase it.

Secondly, it is a question of the possibility of participating in promising European developments.

Thirdly, it is access to new technologies that will appear in the framework of European programs.

The EU is one of the largest importers of US arms and ranks second after Saudi Arabia - both in 2019 and in total over the past five years.

The report of the French Institute of International Relations notes that in recent years there has been an increase in American supplies to Europe, especially in the field of land weapons. Military supplies increase the EU’s dependence on the US, thereby maintaining NATO’s relevance.

In turn, European exports, in comparison with American ones, are significantly lower. The US is the fourth largest importer from the EU, after Saudi Arabia, Egypt and India. At the same time, the growth of exports to the USA in 2019 was largely driven by the UK.

An imbalance remains between the US and the EU in the arms market. 25% of European weapons are imported from the United States. SIPRI analysis shows that the export of US arms to the EU totals over 80 items. At the same time, US imports contain only 38 items.

In general, the problems in US-EU relations associated with European ambitions in the military-political and military-economic spheres will gradually increase. In this regard, the United States can help slow down the defense projects of PESCO and EDF, which threaten the interests of the American defense industry in Europe.