The Union formally accepted the commitments Ursula von der Leyen made to Donald Trump a year ago. For a year it was hard for the EU institutions to swallow this act of subjection. So we had to scope for energy blackmail.
Almost a year ago, the American president welcomed Ursula von der Leyen on his golf course in Turnberry (Scotland). The visit, although in a private residence, was official. The EU president signed there (America – Europe 15 : 0 | Think Poland) an act of surrender before the large Allied, concluding on behalf of the European Union a legendary "deal".
To sum it up briefly, the Union has zeroed import duties for goods from the USA, while agreeing to US 15% work on European exports (this is an increase from earlier 4.8%). She committed to buying LNG, oil and atomic technologies for $750 billion in America by the end of 2028. A Bajoran sum, requiring multiple increases in energy imports. European corporations are besides obliged to invest US$600 billion. In addition, Europe has become dependent on American chips to buy for $40 billion. In this way, local competitors of American large Tech, if they even be or would have the chance to appear, can rotation a kramik – the European iron marketplace for artificial intelligence has been devoted to the ocean.
The Union has wandered tremendously with the adoption of this faithful agreement, swallowing humiliation almost a year. It justified Trump's threats to Greenland, and what else... the reasons could be found respective a day. So the Americans pressed harder, impatient Donald Trump set a deadline for Europe – on 4 July, to which he is yet about to dig up with the decision. Andrew Puzder, Ambassador of the United States, besides spoke publically in March. In an interview with the Financial Times, he stated that if the Turnberry deal is not adopted without change by the Union, “with energy sources things can happen... conditions can change and... there are plenty of another people willing.” The Ambassador threatened the Union at a peculiar point, shortly after the US and Israel invaded Iran and caused oil and LNG supplies from the region to cease to flow.
This open energy blackmail has worked, the European Parliament has always been so wary, has twisted its ears and yet spit out its consent to the "deal". Finally, it was officially ratified by the European institutions in May. The concessions were only surrounded by bombastic phrases, which, however, did not change the essence of this unfavorable Europe of the deal.
Although approved by the Union, he was designated by erstwhile Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström as “demeanor”. 8 years ago, erstwhile Donald Trump first hit customs tariffs in the Union, it effectively responded with duties on US imports. And present Brussels has given up without a fight, and yet it has gained nothing in return for its obligations and the simplification of duties. She has adopted trade agreements that do not comply with the WTO's planet trade rules for fear of the discontent of the American President. And, as the erstwhile Commissioner says, "Trump is active on the side of Ukraine" (the Americans said they threatened to completely retreat from this conflict).
Not only does the erstwhile EU Trade Commissioner find this agreement humiliating. The European public was highly compatible on this issue. More than half (52%) considered this "deal" humiliating (in France as many as 2 thirds), almost 40 percent did not have an opinion, and only a trace percent regarded it as a origin for pride. Of course Poland is the exception – only all 4th (23%) The Pole considered it a humiliation, and a small more (25%) as a reason for calming or even pride. In addition, more than 3 quarters of Europeans (77%) believe that the terms of the agreement favour America. The vast majority besides bears the work of the European Commission and Ursula von der Leyen. But what does that mean? Nothing, democracy is yet there, right?
Of course, president Ursula von der Leyen covers it all with clichés, announcing Europe's accomplishment of the energy "moment of independence". but it's not even comic anymore... But to whom yet the sclerosis has not eaten the remains of grey cells, he should remember that the same individual proclaimed the Union's "strategic autonomy" or "Green Deal" as the "landing of man on the Moon" in the European edition.
But this energy blackmail is just a signum temporis of a much wider process. We'll take a look at him.
Andrzej Szczęsniak
Think Poland, No. 27-28 (5-12.07.2026)
