President Bush invited Europeans yesterday to participate fully in the international struggle against terrorism in their own interest and that of the civilisation they share with the United States. He told the German Bundestag: "If we ignore that threat, we invite certain blackmail and place millions of our citizens in grave danger."
This was the kernel of his message, in a speech widely billed as a defining statement of US policy, aimed at addressing deteriorating transatlantic relations on a range of issues. Mr Bush was stronger on rhetorical assurance than on concrete demonstrations that his administration is prepared to work with its European allies in a spirit of partnership. Following a surge of solidarity after the September 11th attacks, suspicions have grown that the US is highly selective in its multilateralism. That impression has been reinforced by Mr Bush's decisions on steel tariffs, farm subsidies and the Kyoto Protocol and has been boosted by his apparent determination to launch an attack on Iraq later this year.
On this trip, Mr Bush is visiting Germany, Russia, France and Italy. In yesterday's speech, he concentrated a lot on Russia, underlining how US relations with President Putin have been transformed over the last year. It is one of his principal achievements, to be underlined today and tomorrow when he signs several agreements in Moscow. Administration representatives say this disproves European fears that an arms race would follow US abrogation of the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and demonstrates Mr Putin's willingness to recognise the realities of power by opting decisively to find common cause with Mr Bush's war against terrorism.
This does not fully address European worries, or indeed, Russian critics of Mr Putin's decision to take this course; but it indicates a readiness to take bold action in the belief that other states will fall into place behind facts so established. On Iraq, Mr Bush insisted there are no immediate plans to launch a US attack and undertook to consult his allies and share intelligence with them. It remains to be seen whether other European leaders will be as willing as the German chancellor, Mr Schröder, was yesterday to accept this assurance.