Ambassador Victoria Nuland, the United States Permanent Representative to NATO, gave two speeches in late February, one in Paris on 22 February and the other in London three days later. On both occasions she called for a new transatlantic union, with in particular a strengthened Europe able to act independently on defence issues but also together with NATO. The two speeches have many similarities: that delivered in London is the more revolutionary, but significant extracts from the Paris address are also given here (http://nato.usmission.gov ).
The Transatlantic Union
Let me now follow with something you may find completely counterintuitive—especially from me; as tomorrow’s diplomats, journalists, parliamentarians, international lawyers and business people, I hope you will consider it your first responsibility in addition to building the strongest possible Britain and NATO, to strengthen and build the capacities of the European Union. You will think this is strange, a little suspicious—to have the US Ambassador to NATO, standing here, urging you—the British and international leaders of the future to build a stronger EU. So why am I doing it?
If we have learned anything since 11 September 2001—or for that matter over the past 60 or 100 years—it is that the US and the UK not only need each other, we need a strong Europe. We, in the United States, need a Europe that is as united as possible, ready and willing to bear its full measure of responsibility for defending our common security and advancing our shared values. And Brits and all Europeans need an America that is engaged, consulting and cooperating with Europe—finding common solutions to common challenges.
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