The election of Donald Trump to the White House is not “a good thing at all for Europe.” This is according to Sebastian Santander, a Professor of International Relations at the University of Liège with a specialism in the United States.
The European institutions are incredibly concerned regarding the future American President's will, announced during his campaign, to call into question the function and existence of NATO.
Sebastian Santander explained, “Donald Trump is ready to call into question a fundamental cornerstone of our alliance with Europe: NATO.”
Santander said, “He has called upon European countries to contribute much more financially to NATO, up to 2% of the GDP of each respective European country.”
If this does not happen, there is a risk that the US's future President might withdraw it from the Atlantic alliance.
Sebastian Santander stresses that this is a worry for Europe and, in particular, the Baltic states.
All the more so since Trump is more open to relations with Russia even wishing to “seal a closer alliance with the latter.”
Santander points out that the Baltic states, living in fear of Russia following several recent manoeuvres on its part, “consequently, it is thought have the sense of being left on their own,” without NATO support.
Tanguy Struye, the Professor in International Relations at the Catholic University of Louvain (UCL), proffers a more cautious opinion.
He says, “It is very difficult to predict the consequences of the election of Donald Trump (both for Belgium and Europe). This because he (the Republican candidate, editor's note) has not yet spoken in much detail.”
Tanguy Struye adds that Trump cannot alter deeply-rooted alliances unilaterally. Moreover, “Congress may be Republican, but there remain deep divisions within the party. Trump will have to negotiate.”
Donald Trump was elected as the 45th President of the US on Tuesday, defying all of the odds and the polls.
The Brussels Times
