The rupture: how Europe fell out of love with America

In June 2021, from a podium in the Cornish countryside, former US president Joe Biden told a relieved Europe that “America is back at the table”.The comment – made after a summit of the Group of Seven rich nations – became a galvanising force for reinvigorated transatlanticism after the first term of Donald Trump had left it in tatters.When Russia invaded Ukraine eight months later, the G7 became the forum of choice for cooking up punitive sanctions against Russia. It was also the venue for more intense Western cooperation on China policy, with the EU – grateful to be rid of Trump – toughening up its approach to Beijing, in line with Biden’s systematic containment