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German defense minister warns of ‘worst case’ US elections scenario German defense minister warns of ‘worst case’ US election scenario
(about 11 hours later)
Washington could ‘distance itself’ from Europe and the Ukrainian conflict in the wake of the 2024 elections, Boris Pistorius said Washington could ‘distance itself’ from Europe and the Ukraine conflict after the 2024 election, Boris Pistorius has said
European NATO members may face big trouble in continuing to support Kiev in its conflict with Russia after the US elections in 2024, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has warned. Washington’s aid to Ukraine is likely to be reduced regardless of the voting results, he told Welt am Sonntag newspaper in an interview published on Saturday. European NATO members may face difficulties in supporting Kiev in its conflict with Russia after the 2024 US election, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has warned. Washington’s aid to Ukraine is likely to be reduced regardless of the results, he told Welt am Sonntag in an interview published on Saturday.
The US will have to pay more attention to the Indo-Pacific region after 2024, even if a “pro-European” president wins the elections next year, Pistorius believes. A “worst case” scenario might as well spell doom for the West’s support to Kiev, the minister warned. The US will have to pay more attention to the Indo-Pacific region after 2024, even if a “pro-European” president wins the election, Pistorius said, while a worst case scenario could spell doom for the West’s support for Kiev, he warned.
“Should the worst case [scenario] come to life and an American president, who has distanced himself from Europe and NATO, move into the White House, we will have challenges that are currently unimaginable,” Pistorius said. Europe will then have to “compensate” for reduced American commitments to the defense of the military bloc, the minister warned, adding that it would be “on top of what we are already doing today.” “Should the worst case [scenario] come to life and an American president, who has distanced himself from Europe and NATO, move into the White House, we will have challenges that are currently unimaginable,” Pistorius said. Europe will then have to “compensate” for reduced American commitment to the defense of the military bloc “on top of what we are already doing today,” he added.
Pistorius also said that Germany’s own defense issues would hardly be resolved by that time. The supply and funding problems the German Army, the Bundeswehr, has been facing for years are unlikely to be resolved before 2030, the minister admitted. He also said the Bundeswehr’s stocks are limited and in particular refused to pledge more German-made tanks to Ukraine. Pistorius also said that Germany’s own defense issues will not be resolved by that time. The supply and funding problems that the German Army has faced for years are unlikely to be resolved before 2030, the minister noted. He also said that the army’s stocks are limited, and declined to pledge more German-made tanks to Ukraine.
The minister did not elaborate on whose victory in the 2024 presidential elections he would consider “the worst-case” scenario. Yet, several prominent potential GOP candidates, including the former president Donald Trump, have already cast doubt on support for Ukraine, sparking concerns in Kiev. The minister did not say which presidential candidate he had in mind regarding the worst-case scenario. Several prominent potential Republican candidates, including former President Donald Trump, have cast doubt on the idea of continuing American support for Ukraine, sparking concerns in Kiev.
In March, Trump said that, were he to be elected again, Kiev should expect that “there will be little more money coming from us.” Another potential candidate, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, described the conflict as a “territorial dispute” and that it was not in the US’ interests to get more actively involved in it. In March, Trump said that if he is re-elected, Kiev should expect that “there will be little more money coming from us.” Another potential candidate, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, described the conflict as a “territorial dispute” in which the US has no interests in being more actively involved.
US President Joe Biden, whose administration secured $112 billion in Ukraine-related funding from Congress last year, has also been repeatedly criticized by some Republicans for what they called writing a "blank check" for Kiev. US President Joe Biden, whose administration secured $112 billion in Ukraine-related funding from Congress last year, has been criticized by some Republicans for what they call his "blank check" for Kiev.
In late March, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky told the Associated Press (AP) that he was worried about the potentially dwindling US support and said that "if they stop helping us, we will not win." In late March, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky told AP that he was worried about the potentially dwindling US support, saying, “if they stop helping us, we will not win.”