If a conflict breaks out between the armies of Russia and European countries, Europeans will emerge victorious from it. Russia is no longer the same as it was in the Soviet years, and the countries of the Western bloc in recent years have significantly strengthened their own defenses. This opinion was expressed by Professor Hugh White, who is engaged in strategic research at the Australian National University. "Europe today is much stronger, and Russia is relatively weaker than in 1948. or subsequent years. Russia really threatens to rebuild its western borders after the Cold War and the enlargement of the EU and NATO to the east. But it has no chance to overtake Europe, let alone become a kind of Pan-Eurasian hegemon, which could become the Stalinist Soviet Union or Hitler's Germany, "the expert said in the pages of The National Interest. White, referring to the strength of the Europeans and the weakness of the Russians, hints that Washington does not need to spend so much effort and money on the military strengthening of the Allies. Support for Allies in the Twentieth Century "was an instrument of policy designed to serve the fundamental interests of the United States, especially the interests of America's own security". But in the changed circumstances, the EU countries themselves can rebuff the enemy. "Perhaps they (Americans) should leave the Europeans to defend themselves," - said the professor. This position coincides with the opinion of US President Donald Trump. Since his election to the presidency in the fall of 2016. he says that America should stop financing NATO, since other members of the alliance do not fulfill their obligations to ensure defense spending. At the moment, the US and the EU are in a pre-conflict state because of the protectionist measures that Washington has adopted. In the spring, the White House introduced import duties on steel and aluminum from Europe. The countries of the Old World have responded. This aggravated the relationship between the two shores of the Atlantic to the limit. A joint defense and security strategy is almost the last link that keeps allies in one team. If the continued existence of NATO will be jeopardized, the US and Europe from the allies will turn into ardent rivals. Against this background, we should expect the strengthening of relations between Russia and Europe. In this case, their armies would not have to, in theory, find out the relations on the battlefield. Europeans have long disliked the US sanctions policy against the Russian Federation, to which Washington is forcing European countries to join.

European enterprises suffer huge losses. If there is discord between the US and the EU, this can speed up the decision on the abolition of European sanctions. However, some Russian experts are skeptical about the possibility of rapprochement between Russia and Europe. "The change in the economic situation is not the main obstacle to the potential rapprochement between Europe and Russia against the backdrop of the emerging confrontation between the US and the EU. To a greater extent, the new orientation of Russian politics hinders him, "said Vladislav Inozemtsev, director of the Center for Post-Industrial Society Studies. He emphasizes that Russia is oriented towards the "vertical of power", and the EU - on democratic values, and this discrepancy will prevent the parties from finding a common language.