Trump’s return is terrible news for Ukraine. Europe should step into the breach – but will it? | Timothy Garton Ash
With Germany’s government collapsing and Europeans so divided in their response to Trump, unity is essential yet elusive
The first victim of Donald Trump’s second term as US president is likely to be Ukraine. The only people who can avert that disaster are us Europeans, yet our continent is in disarray. Germany’s coalition government chose the day we woke up to news of Trump’s triumph, of all days, to fall apart in bitter rancour. Unless Europe can somehow rise to the challenge, not just Ukraine but the whole continent will be left weak, divided and angry as we enter a new and dangerous period of European history.
In Ukraine itself, people have been trying to find a silver lining in that orange cloud rapidly approaching Washington. After all, they were increasingly frustrated with the self-deterrence of Joe Biden’s administration. This slender new hope was perfectly captured in a text message sent to me by a frontline Ukrainian commander. Trump, he wrote, “is a surprise-man, maybe things will get better”.
Timothy Garton Ash is a historian, political writer and Guardian columnist
Continue reading...Topics
-
Trump may be right about Ukraine’s endgame
Business - Financial Times - 5 hours ago -
Should Europe be spooked by Putin’s new nuclear brinkmanship?
World - Financial Times - Yesterday -
Election night on Fox News: hosts laud Trump as ‘phoenix from the ashes’
World - The Guardian - November 6 -
Should Olaf Scholz Step Aside in the New Race for German Chancellor?
World - The New York Times - 8 hours ago -
The Ukraine war strategy Trump should embrace
Politics - The Hill - 2 days ago -
Why Donald Trump’s return is a disaster for Europe | Paul Taylor
World - The Guardian - November 7
More from The Guardian
-
US and Israel reject ICC warrant for Netanyahu’s arrest as number of countries signal they will abide by it – Middle East live
World - The Guardian - 27 minutes ago -
Putin says Russia fired experimental ballistic missile into Ukraine
World - The Guardian - 23 minutes ago -
Trump says Matt Gaetz will have ‘wonderful future’ after attorney general pick withdraws amid scrutiny – live
World - The Guardian - 27 minutes ago -
Merkel: I mistook Trump for ‘someone completely normal’
World - The Guardian - 2 hours ago -
British lawyer is fifth person to die in suspected methanol poisoning in Laos
World - The Guardian - 41 minutes ago