They're a vassal. One that likes to pretend to be more progressive than the US. And this is probably happening because the US realizes they can't keep a lid on the situation. With that British ship attacked and put in danger of sinking things are getting beyond the point they find acceptable so in go the vassals.
This Gaza situation is probably the most valuable opportunity of our lifetimes to show that all bourgeois democracy is a sham, that despite the people of Europe not wanting a genocide, not wanting to support Europe and the same with Democratic voters not wanting a US Democratic admin to support it, they're doing so anyways with paper thin excuses.
I (Brazilian) told my fiance (German) that the EU is "A Colony Plus," in the sense they're also allowed to exploit other poorer nations, but will be thrown under the bus when convenient - as what happened with Nordstream showed him. Unlike my country and others, which are just a colony/backyard (some trying to break their chains and getting punished for it).