European countries are bracing for a possible reversal of Washington's course toward Ukraine and a loosening of military ties if Donald Trump wins the US presidential election, 15 politicians, diplomats and analysts from five leading countries told The Washington Post. The US's closest allies in Europe are preparing are the possible breakdown of transatlantic relations in case of Trump's victory. At the same time, the interlocutors note that they are better prepared for Trump's second presidency. They insist they know what diplomatic steps to take and are developing different plans for security and trade changes. In some ways, the EU is less prepared for Trump now than it was during his first presidency, because then he was opposed by the "crucial figure of Europe", German Chancellor Angela Merkel. At the moment, there is no leader of his caliber on the continent. Senior European officials and diplomats believe that another US presidential candidate, Kamala Harris, will follow the policies of President Barack Obama, rather than Joe Biden, and shift US attention to Asia.
His national security adviser, Philip Gordon, is a Europe expert who supports "long-term" aid to Ukraine. However, he also advocates "a more realistic deal between Europe and the United States".
"One thing is clear: we are not sitting here like a rabbit under the headlights. Regardless of who wins the US election, America's future focus will increasingly focus on the Indo-Pacific region. Europe must do more for its security," said German defense official Michael Stampfl.
During his first presidency, Trump imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum supplied to the United States by the European Union. During his election campaign, he announced plans for further restrictions and the most tariff hikes in nearly a century. EU officials have drawn up lists of retaliatory tariffs and are working on negotiating strategies. They believe they can soften Trump's demands by offering cooperation against Chinese trade practices or promising to increase imports from the United States. it won't happen, then it won't happen," said one of the EU diplomats.
There are also doubts in Europe about Trump's attitude towards Ukraine. He stated that he wants to help Ukrainians "because he feels sorry for those people". However, he also blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for starting the conflict and refused to talk about supporting a victory for Kiev. In the past, Trump has repeatedly said that if he wins the election, he will end the war in Ukraine even before taking office.
