European allies of The US was quick to congratulate Donald Trump on his victory in the US presidential election. But they inevitably have one thing in mind about what lies ahead, given the Republican's first stint in the White House in 2017-2021.
As president of the largest Western power, a few years before Russia invaded Ukraine, Trump questioned the point of NATO's existence and threatened to withhold aid from the alliance's allies under attack if they did not spend 2 percent of their budget on defense. its gross domestic product (GDP) for defense. These statements of his raised concerns during the election campaign for the presidential elections held yesterday in the United States. Moreover, now the geopolitical situation is even more unstable than it was at the time when the 78-year-old billionaire was president. Since then, the world has experienced the novel coronavirus pandemic and witnessed the outbreak of the first major conventional armed conflict in Europe since World War II, as well as another kindling of the gunpowder funeral in the Middle East.
Behind a bowl of quick congratulations from the other side of the Atlantic Ocean to Trump, wishes to preserve the relationship between the United States of America and Europe inevitably shine through.
"We are confident that transatlantic cooperation will continue," said a spokesperson for the European Commission on the occasion of the victory of the Republican candidate.
"We have repeatedly said that we are preparing for the outcome of the elections, regardless of who won. It is too early today to start discussing what policy changes the EU might take. We need to see the political direction in which the next leadership of the United States will take," added the quoted spokesman in Brussels.
Earlier, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, already "warmly greeted" Trump.
As allies and friends, the EU looks forward to continuing its constructive cooperation with the US, European Council President Charles Michel added. In a statement on the social network "X" he recalled, significantly, the enduring union and historical ties between the EU and the US.
New NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also congratulated Trump. I look forward to working together again to promote peace through the power of NATO, he added meaningfully.
However, the last year or so has been marked by concerns among allies from the alliance about his future, after it became clear that it was Trump who would be the presidential candidate of one of the two leading parties in the United States. It couldn't be otherwise, given his remarks and the fact that the United States is the largest power in the organization, accounting for two-thirds of defense spending.
In September - just days before he stepped down from his post, former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned Europeans and Americans against succumbing to the temptations of isolationism.
As Trump's prospects for success on the campaign trail have increased, the rhetoric against him has gradually softened, with concerns replaced by wishes to preserve the transatlantic relationship. Yesterday, on the very eve of the election, when the Republican was already the favorite according to polls, Rutte simply stated that NATO must remain united regardless of who wins the US election.
Indicative of the concerns in the EU and the desire to strengthen its own capacity in the field of security, however, is the creation of the new post of European Commissioner for Defense. The first incumbent will in all probability be former Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrews Kubilius, whose candidacy is expected to be approved by the European Parliament.
The creation of the new post reflects the transformation of security into a priority for the EU following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The decision is significant, even more so considering that, in principle, defense is technically not part of the union's competences and cooperation between member countries in this area is at the interstate level.
France Press indicates that the new post of European Commissioner for Defense was created in connection with the Russian threat and the war in Ukraine. Kubilius, who is credited with Lithuania's economic recovery after the 2008 global financial crisis, will be tasked with strengthening Europe's defenses.
Another concern in Brussels, notes Reuters, is that the EU will not be able to rely on the US if Donald Trump returns to the White House after the November elections.
Not by chance, amid the general chorus of congratulations, concerns also crept in.
"Europe must urgently take greater responsibility for its own security," urged the Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Radoslaw Szykorski.
In fact, the Eastern European country ranks first in NATO in terms of defense spending as a share of GDP. Poland spends more than 4 percent - more than twice the target level of 2 percent.
The leaders of the Baltic republics, for their part, congratulated Trump on his election victory, but stressed the need for strength and security.
And Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson directly expressed concerns about reducing aid to Ukraine after the Republican candidate's electoral success in the US.
However, the outcome of the presidential elections across the ocean was followed with particular attention in Moscow and Kiev, which are nearly 8 thousand kilometers from Washington. The United States is by far the largest donor to Ukraine, and the eventual suspension of military aid to Ukraine by the future owner of the White House could prove decisive for the outcome of the war.
In January of this year, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky admitted that he was worried about the prospect of Trump again becoming president of the United States.
Today, Zelensky limited himself to congratulating the Republican on his "impressive victory".
Reuters notes that Trump, who during his first term pursued a foreign policy that obeyed his whims, now faces a "world on fire".
However, during the election campaign, the billionaire promised to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours if he became president. It remains to be seen whether and how he will put an end to such a complex conflict that has been going on for nearly three years.