The state of US-EU relationsGood morning ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to speak to you today about the unfortunately precarious situation between the United States and Europe. As you all know, hegemonic power has been shifting among European nations for centuries, while the United States emerged as such an influential entity only after World War II. After these years of post-war reconstruction, the United States continued to grow in social, economic, political and diplomatic strength, thus consolidating its role as an international great power. Although Europe emerged battered and wounded from the war, it rose from the ashes and surpassed its former glory to begin another chapter in its historical saga. After Europe recovered, the European Union was created, which is undoubtedly one of the major modern success stories. The United States and the EU have achieved high levels of development and stability that have led them to assume leadership roles both regionally and globally. Representatives of both bodies work side by side in creating and implementing policies in organizations such as the UN and the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development). Unfortunately, this rosy picture of harmonious relationships is more than idealistic. To say that there have been no moments of tension and conflict between the US and the EU would obviously be incorrect. Even to say that the days of friction and discord are over would be a mistake, as some issues continue to strain US-EU relations. To detail the “why” of the current state of US-EU relations, I will first talk about how past and present conflicts and policy failures have been caused by the fundamentals… middle of paper…. ...the alliance has been a fundamental component of the international system for the past fifty years... [but] the transatlantic relationship is now under strain... Cooperation across the Atlantic will remain key to addressing regional challenges and increasingly global ones that are likely to be central to the twenty-first century... Despite the forces separating the two sides of the Atlantic, the United States and Europe still have compatible interests and complementary capabilities... [and] virtually every objective what Americans and Europeans are looking for will be easier to achieve if they work together…”15Thank you very much for allowing me to talk today about the Atlantic Rift and the state of US-EU relations. I hope to see you all again as the United States and the European Union overcome their differences and continue to come together at the global negotiating table.