When Trump becomes president again, his skeptical view of the Alliance may prompt European countries to seek alternatives, particularly by enhancing their own nuclear capabilities.
This is reported by The Hill, citing analyst Rene de Nevers. He notes that during his first presidential term, Trump repeatedly criticized NATO, demanding that European allies increase their defense spending. He even hinted at a possible U.S. withdrawal from the North Atlantic Alliance.
In light of the threat from Russia, the issue of nuclear deterrence has taken on new significance. France and the United Kingdom remain the only European countries with nuclear weapons, but their arsenal is significantly smaller than that of the U.S. Some experts point out that without support from Washington, European nations will have to bolster their own capabilities and may even need to develop new nuclear weapons.
"Several European NATO members have the technological capability to create nuclear weapons if they choose to; they are only restrained by non-proliferation support and confidence in the Alliance's nuclear deterrence," says the analyst.
The increase in defense spending by European countries following Russia's invasion of Ukraine indicates that the region is gradually moving towards greater independence. However, developing new defense capabilities will require not only time but also political unity. Currently, 23 NATO members spend more than 2% of their GDP on defense, but it remains unclear if this will be sufficient if the U.S. decides to leave the alliance.
Source: thehill.