The bottom line for world politics is that we are moving towards a world where China and the US are the two most important great powers. Excluding Europe from world affairs would be detrimental to US interests. Europe is – for the most part – democratic, capitalist and committed to human rights and a rules-based international order. The EU is also a world leader in security, data protection and environmental regulations, forcing international companies to conform their behavior to European standards around the world. Pushing Russia back may seem more positive in US interests, but it carries the risk that Putin (or his successor) will respond to the country’s loss of reputation and prestige in a destructive, perhaps even catastrophic, way.
The United States must help Europe struggle to stabilize its economy, including by exporting some of its energy sources, such as liquefied natural gas. That may be easier said than done: Americans are not yet fully aware of their own rising energy bills. Natural gas prices in the US have tripled this year and could go even higher as US companies try to gain access to lucrative LNG export markets in Europe and Asia. If energy prices continue to rise, US policymakers will be under pressure to limit exports to maintain energy affordability in North America.
