European leaders fear they’re too reliant on U.S. tech

European governments could also be reconsidering their use of American expertise and companies, in accordance with a brand new report in The New York Instances.

The flashpoint appears to come back after President Donald Trump sanctioned Karim Khan, the chief prosecutor on the Worldwide Felony Courtroom, over the ICC’s resolution to concern arrest warrants for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former protection minister Yoav Gallant.

In response, Microsoft turned off Khan’s electronic mail handle. Casper Klynge, a former diplomat who has additionally labored for Microsoft, informed the NYT that Microsoft’s motion grew to become “the smoking gun that many Europeans had been searching for,” pushing them to have a look at various choices. (Some ICC employees have reportedly converted to Swiss electronic mail service Proton, for instance.)

“If the U.S. administration goes after sure organizations, international locations or people, the concern is American corporations are obligated to conform,” Klynge stated.

For its half, Microsoft stated it has subsequently made coverage modifications to guard prospects comparable conditions, and it famous that it didn’t shut down the e-mail accounts of 4 ICC judges who Trump sanctioned earlier this month. As well as, simply this week, CEO Satya Nadella introduced new “sovereign options” to guard European establishments.