World Conflicts Monitor
Last Updated: 09/01/25 17:27Russian-Georgian Conflict and Georgia's Pro-Western Aspirations
The Second Battle of Kursk and Ukraine's Invasion of Russia
Israel-Hezbollah
North Korea vs South Korea
The Return of President Trump and the Shockwaves Across Europe
The Return of President Trump and the Shockwaves Across Europe
ActiveWhen Donald Trump was re-elected as US President in 2025, it caused a lot of concern in Europe. During his first term, Trump was very critical of the huge amounts of money and weapons the US was sending to help Ukraine fight off the Russian invasion. He even claimed he could end the war in just 24 hours by making a deal with Russia and Ukraine.
The deal Trump wanted involved freezing the current battle lines, which would let Russia keep control of a big chunk of Ukraine. This was seen as a bad deal for Ukraine, and both Ukraine and Russia were expected to reject it. There were also worries that, like when he pulled the US out of Afghanistan, Trump might just cut a deal with Russia over Ukraine's head, leaving Ukraine abandoned and forcing Europe to step in and provide even more aid and weapons.
Key Events
Second Term
Trump's second presidential term begins, with him promising to end the Russo-Ukrainian War within 24 hours through a proposed deal with Russia
Trump Re-election
Donald Trump is unexpectedly re-elected as President of the United States
Trump's First Term
Donald Trump serves his first term as President of the United States, during which he is highly critical of the US providing military and financial aid to Ukraine
Full Analysis
The Return of President Trump and the Shockwaves Across Europe
When Donald Trump was unexpectedly re-elected as President of the United States in 2024, it sent shockwaves across the Atlantic. For the past four years, Trump had been a highly disruptive force in transatlantic relations, frequently criticizing European allies for not spending enough on defense and even flirting with withdrawing the U.S. from NATO.
Now, with Trump back in the Oval Office for a second term from 2025-2029, European leaders braced for the impact his policies could have, especially on the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War. During his first term, Trump had been highly skeptical of the huge sums of U.S. military and financial aid flowing to Ukraine, denouncing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a great salesman for convincing Washington to support his country.
Trump claimed he could broker a deal to end the war within 24 hours of taking office. The proposed terms, outlined by Trump's chosen running mate J.D. Vance, involved freezing the current frontlines into a demilitarized zone, effectively ceding large swaths of Ukrainian territory to Russia. While this might quickly extricate the U.S. from the conflict, it was widely seen as a raw deal for Ukraine that both it and Russia were likely to reject.
Concerns grew that, just as he had done in withdrawing from Afghanistan, Trump could sideline the Ukrainian government and negotiate a hasty agreement directly with the Kremlin. This would leave Ukraine abandoned and force the European Union to scramble to fill the massive gap in military and economic support, at great cost.
Trump's posture towards NATO also loomed large. During his first term, the President had frequently berated European allies for not meeting the alliance's defense spending target of 2% of GDP. Now, with Russia's aggression closer than ever, there were calls for NATO members to boost outlays to 2.5-3% of GDP. Yet implementing such increases would require difficult trade-offs, like raising taxes or cutting social programs.
Adding to the uncertainty, the possibility of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan during Trump's second term raised the prospect of the U.S. shifting strategic focus and resources away from Europe, leaving the continent more exposed to potential Russian adventurism.