A Change in Weather Regarding Relations Between the United States and Europe

(Translated)

Al-Rayah Newspaper - Issue 609 - 22/07/2026

By Ustadh Musab Umair – Wilayah Pakistan

On 6 July 2026, a press release from the British government issued a significant essay by Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, under the title “Britain’s place in the new world order” in which she stated, “Geopolitics is changing, too. The United States is pulling back from its traditional role as guarantor of global security, and while Europe, including Britain, has begun to step up, we must do more for ourselves. We may not be a military or economic superpower, but we can be a convening superpower – the country that brings others together and charts a collective way forward.”

The essay by the British Foreign Secretary reflects the atmosphere within the wider European political medium, which is intensely focused on the impact of the change in US strategy towards the global order. It is a significant change after decades, which is provoking questioning of established principles and stances within Europe. European-American relations have indeed seen several seasons.

Initially, early in its history, the US was distant from Europe, having rebelled against its occupation of the Americas and expelled its influence in some areas, or at least diminished it in others, using strategies such as the Monroe Doctrine.

The US then dramatically emerged from isolation within the Second World War. It sensed its relative strength over a Europe exhausted by war within its lands. Post World War Two, Washington exploited the opportunity by developing economic dependence through the Marshall Plan and military dependence through NATO. The US established itself as the dominant power within a multipolar world order, cemented by multilateral institutions.

Faced with a strong challenge from Soviet Russia, the US then set upon expelling European influence from its former colonies within Africa, the Middle East and South Asia whilst positioning itself as the leader of the “free world.” America then exploited the European platform to progressively weaken Russia, despite the effective detente between Washington and Moscow engineered during the time of Kennedy and his counterpart Kruschev.

The US then peaked in its dominance after the collapse of Soviet Russia. It began to command Europe in an unprecedented manner, leading it in its own endeavors, including its new crusades within the Muslim World. It simultaneously expanded its displacing of European influence aggressively, expunging the political medium of European influence in key Muslim states such as Pakistan and Egypt.

However, the US overextended itself in wars against the Islamic Ummah, and was harmed by the strong resistance. In addition, the rot of economic collapse began to set into the American state as its parasitic capitalist elite became excessive in their greed, in a domestic crisis that is compounded by fractures within its deep state, due to domestic conflict between the factions represented by the Republicans and Democrats.

The US sensed its own weakness, with its own intellectuals raising warnings about American decline. It then embarked on a way to maintain its supremacy over the multipolar world in the light of its diminished capabilities, by inciting conflicts between and around the competing major powers. A key tactic was to “poke the Russian bear,” inciting a war between Ukraine and Russia, through which Europe was inevitably harmed. The weakness of European political thinking is evident in its failure to rapidly resolve the conflict through pressurizing Ukraine. Instead, Europe made the fatal error of siding with Ukraine, prolonging a destructive war within its domain. Under Biden, conflicts flared and burned competitors relentlessly.

The rise of Trump came with the rise of the attempt to remold the world order as a unipolar order. So, the incitement of conflicts to weaken competitors continued, along with burdening them with the results of the sudden American withdrawal from 66 multilateral institutions. America now wants to command the world, with the world paying the bills and bearing the costs. It accepts that regional alliances and institutions will inevitably strengthen and new ones will emerge. However, it has confidence that it can impose its global order due to the limitations in their scope, capabilities and vision.

Europe is now finding itself abandoned and scrambling to find its foothold, particularly within the military and security domains. Exhausted by the effects of the Russia-Ukraine war, and the after effects of the COVID 19 pandemic, Europe is visibly unsteady. Its political thinking has been weakened by decades of dependence and deferring to the United States. Amongst the European powers, Britain is shaking itself awake from its miscalculated dependence on the US, and drawing upon its centuries of expertise in cunning and deceit in an attempt to lead Europe on a new course, which may or may not converge with US interests. However, Britain is no longer the power it once was, a reality reflected in statements by its Foreign Secretary. Compounding these challenges, Europe is beset by deep-seated historical conflicts that make achieving full unity a difficult prospect.

In all, Allah (swt) is changing the atmosphere over the globe, including a key feature of geopolitics since World War Two, a strong bond between the US and Europe. It has significant implication upon the current generation of Muslims. Regarding the United States, the Ummah must strongly challenge its interests, expose its plans and remove its influence. Regarding Europe in general, and Britain in particular, the Ummah must keep the doors firmly closed to them, and not fall foul of their false promises. Europe is no less harmful than the United States, and no less hostile to the Deen of Islam. Thus, the ulema and carriers of the Dawah must be vigilant regarding any visit by the Europeans and the Americans to any Muslim capital, and expose their agendas powerfully. Moreover, it is upon the aware sons and daughters of the Ummah to seize the opportunities that present after weakening of ties between Europe and the US, to form a new major power, under the light and guidance of the Shariah Law of Allah (swt).