EU security needs to be reviewed in the wake of Donald Trump’s election as US president, Ireland South MEP Sean Kelly has said.
Mr Kelly warned of potential challenges to Europe’s security and economic stability that demand a proactive EU response.
‘A second Trump presidency changes the global security landscape dramatically,’ Mr Kelly said. ‘With President Trump’s campaign promises to scale back military aid to Ukraine; we face the very real possibility of a substantial funding gap. This gap could be as large as the budgets of several of our core EU programmes — it’s a serious concern.’ Kelly noted that 75% of northern subsea cables pass through Irish waters. ‘These cables carry 97% of global communications and over €10tn in financial transactions every day,” he explained. ‘Collaboration with our EU and Nato partners is essential to ensure the security of this vital infrastructure.’
‘We need a thorough review to ensure that Europe is equipped to meet both our security needs and the economic challenges posed by a more isolationist, protectionist United States,’ he continued. ‘Trump’s agenda could severely impact global trade,’ he said.
