Europe Aims To Break From US Tech-Why Google's Fighting It

Many European government institutions are trying to free themselves from reliance on American tech products, and in a recent interview, a Google spokesperson argued that they are making a mistake.

European businesses, according to the Financial Times, have been pushing for more tech sovereignty from the United States due to concerns over Donald Trump‘s foreign policy during his second term in office, particularly in Denmark, due to Trump’s push to acquire the self-governing Danish territory of Greenland.

According to the Associated Press, French civil servants will no longer use Microsoft Teams and Zoom for their work, opting instead for a video-conference service made in France.

The Austrian military, meanwhile, dropped its use of Microsoft Office in favor of open-source software.

In a press release, the French government said its goal was "to put an end to the use of non-European solutions, to guarantee the security and confidentiality of public electronic communications by relying on a powerful and sovereign tool.”

The press release noted concerns about France’s sensitive data, scientific exchanges and strategic innovations.

French President Emmanuel Macron is a proponent of tech sovereignty, and last week told outlets that the US makes threats against Europe “every day.”

"The US will in the coming months-that's certain-attack us over digital regulation," Macron said.

Google’s Response

In response to the recent movement, Google’s President of Global Affairs, Kent Walker, expressed his concern that European nations could find themselves falling behind.

According to Walker, the speed at which technology is developing suggests that countries should be embracing all new technologies, no matter where they originate.

He suggested that countries could struggle to innovate their own tech without the use of American tech along the way.

“We deliver a lot of value to Europe,” Walker told the Financial Times. “Erecting walls that make it harder to use some of the best technology in the world, especially as it’s advancing so quickly, would actually be counter-productive.”

Walker pointed to artificial intelligence (AI) as one of the biggest reasons why the push is a mistake.

“The AI transition is the most competitive technology transition we've ever seen,” Walker told the Financial Times. “The market is moving faster than the rules right now.”

Walker expressed optimism that Google would be able to find answers to the concerns of European governments “in ways that are still positive for the European economy and European consumers.”

What’s Next

A full decoupling from American tech is unlikely any time soon, and Politico has reported that a spokesperson for Germany’s digital minister called a full replacement of foreign digital services “neither realistic nor necessary.”

Lithuanian economy minister Edvinas Grikšas, meanwhile, told Politico that a full replacement would not “serve Europe's broader strategic interests.”

Newsweek has reached out to Google requesting further comment via email.

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This story was originally published February 18, 2026 at 3:45 AM.