This is a defining moment for American diplomacy. The vote by Britain to leave the EU poses a grave risk to the European project. It is profoundly in America’s interest to work closely with all of its European allies, especially Germany, to forestall the unravelling of that project, which has produced unprecedented peace and prosperity to Europe over the past 70 years.
In the aftermath of the world’s most devastating war, it was far-sighted European and American statesmen who focused on the pressing need to build a strong and united Europe. In 1946, Winston Churchill famously called for the creation of a “United States of Europe,” the aim of which was to “make the material strength of a single state less important.” A year later, George Marshall, secretary of state, announced the creation of the European Recovery Program, which offered billions to help the continent recover from the war. Marshall called on European countries to co-operate and co-ordinate their plans for economic recovery as a condition for spending US funds — thus helping to overcome Europe’s deep divisions that had produced centuries of conflicts and wars.
Soon, other European voices, led by Ernest Bevin, UK foreign secretary, called for the creation of a military alliance between Europe and North America, both to prevent the encroachment of Soviet communism and to bolster the unity of Europe. The north Atlantic Treaty was signed in 1949, permanently committing the US to come to Europe’s defence — as it had twice before that century.
With America providing for Europe’s security, a recovering Europe deepened co-operation — economically, politically, and militarily. The Council of Europe, the European Coal and Steel Community, the Western European Union, and other institutions were formed to erase divisions and help maintain the peace and security upon which future prosperity would depend. Much of this effort evolved into the EU, a community that would expand to 28 states, as more and more countries desired the economic and political benefits of being an integral part of the European project.
The Brexit vote now puts all this at risk. The sentiments animating those voting to leave the EU — fear of immigration, concerns about falling wages and lack of good jobs, anxiety about growing interconnectedness with the rest of the world — are present in many western democracies. Already, we are seeing voices calling for a Nexit vote in the Netherlands, and Frexit in France.
We are seeing the renationalisation of politics in Europe — and with it the possible unravelling of the EU and the entire European project. The risks are not just economic, although the cost of raising fences and bolstering borders to interrupt the free flow of people, goods, and capital, will surely be huge. The risks are also to security — as growing divisions within Europe boost the power and influence of a Russia, which thrives whenever the continent is divided. And as nationalism intensifies, competition and confrontation threatens to replace longstanding collaboration and co-operation.
A divided Europe poses a profound threat to America — to its prosperity and to its security. Twice in the last century, America went to war to rescue Europe from its internal divisions and follies — and then it stayed to ensure this would not happen again. But as Europe grew prosperous and strong, and as the Soviet threat disintegrated, America’s attention drifted elsewhere — to a turbulent Middle East and a rising Asia.
During the past two decades or so, Europe wasn’t so much forgotten as it was neglected by Washington. As the destructive forces of integration were rising, Washington placed faith in the leaders of Europe to manage the discontent. Now, at least one of those leaders has failed — destructively so. And Washington can no longer rely on European leaders to do the right thing.
America needs to re-engage fully again in European diplomacy. Working with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and others committed to saving the European project, President Barack Obama needs to make keeping Europe whole his top priority. Britain has voted to leave the EU, but that does not mean it wants or has to leave Europe. Rather than punishing London, as some in Paris and other EU capitals are now inclined to do, the goal must be to find new institutional arrangements that keeps Europe together as a strong, capable, outward looking partner.
Europe needs to maintain open borders internally, and retain a single market for economic activity — even with the UK no longer a formal member of the EU. Nato needs to be strengthened to address growing threats from the East and South. The European project must continue to evolve. And America must once again stand at the centre of Europe to help make all this possible. This is indeed a defining moment for Europe — and for America.
Ivo Daalder is president of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. From 2009-13 he was the US permanent representative to Nato.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited . All rights reserved. Please don't copy articles from FT.com and redistribute by email or post to the web.