Like many European states, the Government has been especially careful not to outrightly condemn the US for its operation to remove Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro from power. Trump may eventually be assuaged that Nato, with Washington firmly in the lead, can protect US interests in Greenland and the Arctic. European defence and security vulnerabilities explain why many countries are unwilling to take a stronger line against the Trump administration. Rather than accepting vulnerability to aggression from Moscow or dependency on a capricious Washington, this is something to be welcomed. Digital sovereignty and communications security – including protecting EU democracies from extremist threats – cannot be compromised, regardless of threats from Washington.

Source: The Irish Times January 12, 2026 18:03 UTC