How Europe can prepare for America’s withdrawal

In the past weeks, Donald Trump caused alarm bells to go off in the European capitals, stating that he would “encourage” Russia to punish his European NATO allies that do not reach the spending requirements, were he elected US president for the second time. Shortly after, Estonian intelligence revealed Russia has plans to beef up its military presence near Finland and the Baltic states.

In this episode, recorded live from the Munich Security Conference, Mark Leonard welcomes ECFR board member Arancha González Laya, former Spanish foreign minister and current dean of the Paris School of International Affairs, along with distinguished policy fellow Camille Grand, who leads ECFR’s brand new defence initiative. Together, they discuss how Europeans can prepare for a second Trump presidency. What dangers does a second Trump term hold for Europe? How should it respond if Trump abandons Ukraine on his first day in office? What consequences will America’s gradual disengagement have for Europe’s role in the world?

This podcast was recorded during the Munich Security Conference (16-18 February 2024)

Bookshelf:

The Divider, Trump in the White House, 2017-2021 by Peter Baker and Susan Glasser

Les Aveuglés, comment Berlin et Paris ont laissé la voie libre à la Russie by Sylvie Kauffmann

Foolproof: Why Misinformation Infects Our Minds and How to Build Immunity by Sander van der Linden

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