V-E Day at 80: Europe Faces a Fractured Alliance with America

Eighty years after the Allied triumph in Europe, the 80th anniversary of V-E Day arrives under a shadow of uncertainty. The trans-Atlantic alliance, forged in the crucible of World War II, faces unprecedented strain. Last June, I stood on Normandy’s beaches, reflecting on the courage of young Americans who stormed ashore in 1944, their sacrifice a testament to shared values. Former President Biden’s words then, vowing NATO’s unity and support for Ukraine against Russia’s aggression, echoed that legacy.

Yet, today, the landscape has shifted dramatically. The current U.S. administration’s policies have unraveled decades of partnership. President Trump’s recent actions—from publicly chastising Ukraine’s President Zelensky to questioning NATO’s relevance—have left European leaders reeling. His February 28 White House meeting with Zelensky, where he accused the Ukrainian leader of ingratitude, stunned observers. French President Emmanuel Macron, responding days later, declared peace in Europe “no longer guaranteed.”

Europe is not standing idle. Germany’s new Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Macron are pushing for strategic autonomy, seeking independence from a wavering Washington. Their resolve to support Ukraine against Russia remains firm, as they reject any “imposed peace.” Proposals are even afloat for a symbolic Franco-German gesture on Normandy’s beaches, evoking the 1984 image of Mitterrand and Kohl hand-in-hand at Verdun.

But unity eludes Europe. Far-right movements, mirroring the nationalist wave that bolstered Trump, are gaining ground. Leaders like Hungary’s Orban and Italy’s Meloni reflect a continent grappling with division. Still, Europe’s collective memory of war’s horrors—etched in places like Vichy, where collaboration stained France’s honor—fuels a determination to safeguard freedom.

As Europe charts its path, the graves of 9,389 Americans in Normandy’s cemetery stand as a reminder: the fight for liberty once bound us. Whether that bond endures depends on the audacity of leaders on both sides of the Atlantic.