Transatlantic Relations Face Dangerous Problems, Experts Warn

Influential Hungarian and American experts have published an op-ed in National Interest on the problems of transatlantic relations and their possible solutions.

Stronger relations are needed more than ever, given the multitude of challenges that the West currently faces, according to Márton Ugrósdy, Head of the Office of the Prime Minister’s Political Director in Hungary, and James Carafano, Vice-President of the Heritage Foundation.

“Within Europe and among the transatlantic community, bilateral relations are as important as ever,” they stress, adding that “strong honest relations between members—built on trust and confidence—as well as mutual interests and understanding of differences, will strengthen institutions like NATO and the European Union.”

The experts warn that in transatlantic relations,

there are pathologies that, if left untreated, will make it harder to meet the challenges of the modern world through joint action.”

Among other issues, they raise the following concerns:

• Mirror-imaging politics — i.e. assuming that the views or left and right parties in other countries are similar to our own
• Political infighting — “even if they do not vote the way we wish, we must work together with the elected governments as friends and allies should do”
• Ossifying orthodoxies — “we cannot build a strong base for common action by declaring a willing partner who challenges political orthodoxies to be a radical extremist and a danger to democracy”
• Threats to free markets — “healthy market competition between countries that respect free market competition creates space for win-win situations”
• Energy insecurity— more cooperation and effort is needed “to develop real plans to open up new markets where profits can be made and new enterprises established, with partners like the Abraham Accord countries and the nations of the Middle Corridor (Caucuses and Central Asia).”

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