23 February 2026, 20:00

‘Europe will fracture’: Expert on how Trump’s policies are impacting the EU

Donald Trump. Photo of AP

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MINSK, 23 February (BelTA) – The European Union has split due to the change in U.S. policy toward Europe, member of the Another Ukraine movement, former deputy of Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada Spiridon Kilinkarov said in a new episode of the V Teme [On Point] project on BelTA’s YouTube channel.

“The situation for European countries has changed significantly due to Donald Trump’s policies. In other words, the Europeans are in an unfamiliar situation. They are accustomed to having coordinated positions within the North Atlantic Alliance, with the Americans providing them with a nuclear umbrella and security guarantees. But Donald Trump said this is very expensive, and the U.S. does not intend to continue working with Europe in the same format,” noted Spiridon Kilinkarov.

The expert recalled that even during his first presidential term, U.S. President Donald Trump declared the need for the European Union to increase defense spending. During his current term, Donald Trump has reiterated his stance, stating that the U.S. will not defend Europe unless it pays.

“There is a split within Europe on this issue. We were assured that European countries had some kind of common position, but it turns out that everyone is acting in their own national interests,” he stated. “When it comes to, for example, a nuclear umbrella, the French, Germans, or British see it differently. I think Europe will be divided on many issues.”