Which Country Can Replace the UK in the EU for US?

• 06.28.2016, 18:47
•  Europe,  America,  World

bilaterals.org

The US State Secretary John Kerry became the first foreign official to visit the UK after the June 23 referendum. Kerry’s visit to London was described by a Western media as the US attempt to reassert "the bonds of the special relationship," Guardian reports. In addition Kerry also visited Brussels to meet with the EU’s foreign-policy chief, Federica Mogherini. Kerry’s visit to London and Brussels was interpreted by the State Department as their attempts to stress "U.S. commitments both to our special relationship with the United Kingdom and the indispensable partnership we have with the European Union."

The fact that the US is concerned by the Brexit and its consequences is natural enough. It is a common knowledge that the UK continuously acted as a bridge for the cooperation between the EU and the US. Now when the UK has decided to leave the Union, the US is going to lose its "ambassador" in the EU and will face a challenge not to weaken so far established ties with the Union. The fact that the US fears are substantiated proves the announcement made by the French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, who stated:  "No free trade agreement should be concluded if it does not respect EU interests. Europe should be firm," France 24 report.

So what the US possible steps will be? Judging from the official announcements made, the US will try to further develop bilateral economic relations with the UK. In this sense it is not by chance that the US State Secretary vowed to continue strong relationship with the UK, despite the US President Obama’s  statement made before the Brexit that "the UK might be at the back of queue in any future trade talks if the leave vote won", the Guardian reports.

Second, the US will try to convince its EU partners not to recede from the agreements already made. Perhaps this is the reason why Kerry during his visit to Brussels stressed "indispensable partnership"  with the EU, while the US Trade Representative Michael Froman noted "Our goal remains to continue working with the EU to conclude an ambitious, comprehensive and high-standard agreement this year," Yahoo News reports.

To conclude in the sort-term perspective, obviously, the US will do its best not to lose the opportunity of possible trade deal with the EU, which will give it free access to the EU's large market. However, in the long term perspective the US will try to find another reliable partner in the EU. In this sense it is not excluded that the US will start to more active advocate for the Turkey’s membership to the EU, which cannot but become another cause of disagreement within the Union.