ABSTRACT
One can argue that the US has been the security guarantor for Europe since the end of the Second World War primarily via the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The US was also influential in the Eastern and Central European countries that sought to escape from the collapsing Soviet Union, establish their independence and accede to the European Union. This influence included not only security but also economic policy. Today the US is increasingly preoccupied in Asia and the Persian Gulf and is less interested in Europe. This is a challenge for the transatlantic alliance and raises questions about its viability and feasibility. How should European small powers react to this change?
