I've always considered Europe to be a junior partner in imperialism, but, especially since the 2025 trade war capitulation, it seems there has been a qualitative shift in their world status.
Comprador leadership, military occupation, and tech subordination are all hallmarks of a neocolony, and Europe has all 3.
The post-ww2 division of labor was that the US would play world cop to keep the global south in line, and europe would remain anti-communist bulwarks.
Their status as imperial core nations is entirely dependent on the US military subjugating low wage nations.