Obama’s European policy and the transatlantic relations

The Transatlantic relationship has been one of the most important pillars for stability and security in the international system in the 20th Century. During the first Obama Administration, a new, different debate was opened concerning its relevance. From the divergences over the Iraq War and the scarce expenditures on defense of the European allies, the importance of transatlantic relations has been called into question due to changes in the global balance of power and the rise of emergent powers, the loss of strategic interest by new generations of American leaders and, finally, the economic crisis and the new debate on the decline of Europe. In spite of all that, a more careful analysis of the Obama Administration´s discourse and foreign policy leads the author to conclude that this Alliance will maintain its pre-eminence over the mid-term future.

Key words: United States, Europe, Transatlantic relation, foreign policy, international order

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