LONDON - European governments have maintained a polite silence in the dispute between China and Washington over United States Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan on Tuesday (Aug 2).

But behind the scenes, the Europeans are fearful about both the immediate and long-term implications of Mrs Pelosi's trip.

Having initially assumed that a war in Europe was unthinkable, only to be confronted by the current bloodshed in Ukraine, European governments are now bracing themselves for any eventuality.

So, although the consensus among Europe-based strategic experts is that the chances of a direct military confrontation between the US and China remain small, there is also an acknowledgement that worst-case scenarios do sometimes come to pass, and that, therefore, nothing can be ruled out.

There is also a fear that rising tensions between Beijing and Washington may divert US attention away from confronting the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Although the number of US troops in Europe is relatively small - not more than 100,000 even after the latest plans to beef up America's presence on the continent - it is clear that the eruption of a major security crisis in Asia could change priorities in the White House.

There is also the realisation that the flare-up of tensions in Asia will encourage Russian President Vladimir Putin to persist with his invasion of Ukraine in the hope that Russia will be able to break up Western unanimity and ultimately prevail in this conflict.

And there is also apprehension in European capitals that one of China's possible responses to the Pelosi visit may be an acceleration in the level of its cooperation with Moscow.

Until now, Chinese leaders have expressed public sympathy with Russia and opposition to the US-led economic sanctions on Moscow, but have not taken active steps to help Russian troops, which are running low on ammunition.

But this could now change as Beijing seeks additional levers to punish the US. A more substantial Russian-Chinese military and economic cooperation will be received as very bad news in European capitals.

Yet, at the same time, there is also a growing belief in Europe that Taiwan deserves political support, if only in order to discourage a potential Chinese military takeover of the island.

And there is a tacit understanding that Europe will have to align itself with Washington should tensions rise further in the confrontation between China and the US.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock recently said China's pressures on Taiwan are "a serious challenge" to global order.

And European Union officials have warned Beijing against considering any military option against Taiwan.

"In the event of a military invasion, we have made it very clear that the EU, with the United States and its allies, will impose similar or even greater measures than we have now taken against Russia," Mr Jorge Toledo, the EU's new ambassador to China, warned recently.

As is so often the case in any security crisis involving the US, Britain stands out as America's greatest supporter.

Foreign Secretary Elizabeth Truss, who is now leading the race to become Britain's next prime minister, has in recent months urged Western nations to ensure Taiwan can protect itself from China by suggesting that Britain provide Taiwan with weapons, an initiative that raised eyebrows among seasoned diplomats and politicians in London.

And it's an open secret in London that the British Parliament's foreign affairs committee is planning a visit to Taiwan later this year, probably in November or early December.

Mr Tom Tugendhat, who chairs the foreign affairs select committee, and may well land a senior ministerial post in a Truss-led future British government, is a noted China critic.

So, Beijing may have to brace itself for the possibility that Mrs Pelosi's gesture may well be mimicked by key Europeans in the months to come.