Trump’s win signals urgent European defence overhaul needed
The world is reacting to Donald Trump's victory in the American elections. Experts suggest that the Republican's return to the White House could serve as a wake-up call for Europe regarding defence spending. "I'm begging European governments to just buy tanks," wrote political scientist Marcel Dirsus on platform X.
Donald Trump wins the presidential election in the USA, reported the AP agency on Wednesday. The Republican candidate secured 277 electoral votes, seven above the required minimum.
"I can't take another 4 years of policy papers, op-eds and panel discussions about European strategic autonomy. I'm begging European governments to just buy tanks. Add assembly lines, build factories, order ammunition. Get more drones, fly more planes. Make sure ships can sail," commented Marcel Dirsus, a political scientist and author of the book "How Tyrants Fall: And How Nations Survive," on Trump’s victory concerning European strategy.
Several experts believe that this is the last moment to make crucial decisions about Europe’s future, especially considering the Russian threat originating from the east. Bruno Tertrais, director of the French think tank FRS, calls for a high-level political meeting involving Poland, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom as soon as possible.
Trump is president of the USA again. A wake-up call for Europe?
Arancha Gonzalez, a former Spanish foreign minister, added that "Trump is not the problem. Harris would not have been the solution (to the problems - ed.)." "The future of Europe is in Europes’s hands," which is why the efforts "should start right now."
Helene von Bismarck, an expert at the think tank RUSI specialising in security and defence, pointed out that "Europeans (including the UK) have no time to be depressed, to be angry, or to be scared." "Too much time has been wasted over the past two years. No more burying one's head in the sand, no more hoping for the best. Time to step up. For our security, for Ukraine, for our future," she asserted.
Jessica Berlin, an analyst at CEPA (Centre for European Policy Analysis), assessed that the last two years have been wasted about Ukraine's defence, even with Joe Biden in charge. "That’s not American voters’ fault, it’s European leaders’ fault," she noted.
David Patrikarakos, a British writer, journalist, and war correspondent, added that Donald Trump’s victory is a "final wake-up call" for Europe. In his view, Europe cannot rely solely on Washington regarding defence.
What’s next for Ukraine?
The uncertainty regarding Ukraine's future is also felt in Estonia and Latvia, which might be vulnerable to Russian attacks. "Now Europe really needs to unite," writes the newspaper "Eesti Paevaleht," assessing that "the last 30 years, when we could live with the assurance that America will protect us, are over."
If Trump halts support for Ukraine, "Latvia should not expect anything good," because without US support, Ukraine will not win the war with Russia, commented Radio Zina.
