Trump's win could push EU towards defense and economic unity
Donald Trump's victory could motivate the European Union to take essential steps toward strengthening defense and the economy, EU diplomats told the Politico portal. Diplomats believe that the presidency of the Republican leader could prevent the "slow agony of the EU economy."
1:29 PM EDT, October 30, 2024
A high-ranking EU diplomat told Politico that Trump's return would give the EU the impetus to move forward, just as it did earlier with the pandemic or the energy crisis following the Ukraine war outbreak.
EU diplomatic sources mentioned that the victory of the Republican candidate would primarily impact the Community's defense policy. The return of Trump, who has repeatedly threatened to withdraw the United States from NATO, would pressure Europe to increase its military spending, for example, through the joint issuance of bonds.
The second such area is the economy. According to some diplomats, Trump's accession to the U.S. presidency could encourage Europe to boost investments in industry and further integrate the common market. They say this could prevent the "slow agony" of the EU economy, as warned in a report by former European Central Bank President Mario Draghi.
According to Politico's sources, the Republican candidate's victory might strengthen the faction favoring a tougher stance against China. The portal indicates that while Biden avoided making the EU a "us or them" choice, Trump might not have had such reservations.
"A major shift in U.S.-EU relations is coming"
As one of the portal's sources stated, this would help European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen overcome the resistance of member states that advocate for a softer approach.
However, Politico's sources emphasized that Europe should build its autonomy regardless of who wins. "Europe should prepare for a big change in EU-U.S. relations, no matter who is elected," the portal wrote.
