Populist right-wing leaders in Europe are hoping that Trump's presidency could benefit them, but this interaction may have undesirable consequences for European unity.
This is reported by The Guardian's columnist Natalia Tocci. She notes that Trump, known for his blunt policy of disregarding international norms, has repeatedly made aggressive statements about allies, including promising to annex Greenland. Such rhetoric has already drawn criticism from European leaders, including those from Germany and France. However, this does not deter far-right leaders in Europe from supporting him, hoping that their interests will resonate in Washington.
However, this could lead to a rift within the European Union, which is already experiencing rising internal tensions due to the growth of populist and nationalist sentiments. In countries like Italy, Sweden, and Finland, far-right politics is becoming increasingly influential. The author of the article suggests that in Meloni's case, she will likely try to soften the blows from Washington regarding Italy's significant trade surplus with the US and the expected defense spending at 1.5% of GDP.
This week, news emerged about a possible agreement worth 1.6 billion euros between Italy and Elon Musk's SpaceX for providing communication services to Italian institutions, including defense. Although Starlink technology is considered secure, handing over such critical infrastructure to a foreign company owned by the richest person on Earth poses serious risks to national security. Moreover, this agreement could hinder the development of the Iris 2 project – a European satellite constellation worth 10 billion euros, which includes Italian companies.
"Instead of worrying about Trump, Europe would be better off uniting and focusing more on itself," the columnist concludes.
Source: theguardian.