Masala: Europe completely unprepared for Trump's return
If Donald Trump returns to the White House, Carlo Masala sees black for Europe. The time for serious preparations has probably already passed, the military expert concludes. He calls for concrete measures to ensure the continent's security.
Military expert Carlo Masala believes that Europe is largely unprepared for the return of Donald Trump as US President. He sees "neither the German government nor the rest of Europe seriously preparing for this. We have probably already missed the right time," the political scientist at the University of the Federal Armed Forces in Munich told the Funke Mediengruppe newspaper.
Europe must be able to guarantee the security of the continent itself under completely different circumstances. "Trump would probably say to the European NATO states: you have to spend a lot more money now, otherwise we will withdraw your protection," he predicted. "And we're no longer talking about two percent of the respective economic output, but significantly more."
Masala also reiterated: "Trump would probably only give bilateral security guarantees, but no more through the alliance. Only those states that comply with his demands - for example with regard to defense spending - would then be under American protection." Those European states that did not join in would then be left without American security guarantees. "Basically, that would be blackmail."
"Need a European nuclear umbrella"
"If the Americans no longer guarantee protection, we need a European nuclear umbrella," Masala demanded. He advised exploring "the extent to which France has an interest in its national nuclear force being paid for from other sources". France's nuclear strategy has so far been purely national. "Perhaps it will be possible to change this to the effect that, under certain circumstances, France would also be prepared to defend neighboring European countries with its nuclear weapons."
Masala argued that the second European nuclear power, the UK, should also be brought on board. "It no longer belongs to the European Union," he said. "But for countries like Poland or Romania, the idea of depending solely on the French nuclear umbrella is probably unacceptable." In any case, there will be no nuclear suitcase that is stored in Brussels or "moves back and forth between the European capitals", said Masala. Such demands are nonsense.
Masala said his biggest concern for the new year was "that we will not be able to guarantee lasting support for Ukraine. In this case, the aggressor Russia would prevail," said the expert. A Russian victory would permanently destabilize Europe's security - both in terms of foreign policy and domestic politics.
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- In light of potential nuclear threats, Masala suggests that Europe exploration of France's interest in sharing the cost of its nuclear force to provide a collective defense, involving countries like Poland and Romania, given the UK's departure from the EU.
- If the US withdrawal from European defense commitments becomes a reality under a Trump presidency in 2024, Masala believes it would necessitate the EU and the UK to reconsider their security strategies, including the idea of a European nuclear umbrella.
- During the US presidential election of 2024, the potential return of Donald Trump as president could pose significant challenges to Europe's security, as Trump might demand increased defense spending from NATO members or provide security guarantees only to those compliant with his demands.
- The USA's stance in the 2024 US presidential election could have far-reaching consequences for Europe, potentially leading to changes in security arrangements, requiring the EU, the UK, and France to reassess their defense strategies and partnerships.
Source: www.ntv.de
