Abandoned: Europe Faces a Future Without Allies

For the first time, Europe will be left alone. But we can look at it as an opportunity, said Vesela Cherneva, Deputy Director of the European Council for Foreign Policy.

“The European Union started preparing this time earlier. I am sure that the governments of most European countries have already made their scenarios regarding a possible victory of Trump. The issue is psychological – – this big change in the role of America, which will not want to deal with foreign problems, will not want to be responsible for Europe’s security, which will be able to punish Europe and European companies, European industries whenever it wants all by itself,” Cherneva told BNR.

He said that the French President, Emmanuel Macron, will now try to convene the leaders of Germany, Italy and Poland for first consultations, and then there may be an emergency meeting around the European Council dedicated to this topic.

“I prefer to look at this as an opportunity, because for Europe this is the time to start looking after itself – for its own protection, for its own economic security and not to rely on someone from the outside to finish this work for us”.

Cherneva said that in terms of some of the important policies such as defense and security, Trump will certainly have a stimulating effect on the EU.

“We will see much more European coordination in terms of defense industry, air defence, European capability and planning. But there will also be blocking or trying to block processes, ie there will be more and more European leaders like Viktor Orbánwhich seeks to prevent European integration. It is possible that if there are a large number of such locks, Europe will turn into multiple coalitions of countries willing to cooperate, rather than those formally sitting at the same table because they are members of the EU. “

Central and Eastern European countries will not be interesting to Trump, Vesela Cherneva predicted and added that “he will focus his interest on China and probably in opposition to Iran, even Russia will not be so important to his administration”:

“In our region, he will have some kind of mediators – leaders who think they can speak on his behalf. They will try to implement some kind of policy that pleases him.”

According to Cherneva, at the moment it seems to be Trump does not intend to help Ukraine.

“Any negotiations, if they are initiated by Trump, will be at the expense of Kiev and in the long term will be in favor of the regime in Moscow. The question is what is the European interest and how can Europe protect it, because ii ba extent to which an unstable Ukraine can be of interest to Europe This is a question that European leaders must find an answer to very quickly – in the coming months … I hope we have learned the lessons of the past.