Mart Helme: Trump’s election reduces likelihood of war
Donald Trump’s election reduced the likelihood of Estonia being involved in a war, chairman of the Estonian Conservative People’s Party (EKRE) said on Wednesday. With Trump at the helm, the United States wouldn’t give Russia a reason to further escalate conflicts along its borders.
Helme said that Trump would very likely concentrate on “making America greater”, and turn less attention to moves against competing large countries. Because of this, Russia wouldn’t have a reason anymore to “actively step on the United States’ toes” and provoke a conflict in the Baltic area. Even more so as Trump’s reaction was likely to be very powerful, Helme said.
According to Helme, all those politicians and analysts who believe that Putin’s positive reaction to Trump meant that the latter was a pro-Russian candidate got it the wrong way. In reality, causing “anti-Trump hysteria” had been Russia’s goal, namely to push American voters towards Clinton as the weaker and more fitting candidate for Russia’s interests.
Historically, Republican foreign politics had been decidedly more consistent and effective than those of the Democratic party, Helme said. Trump’s comment to the effect that he wanted to get along with Russia had also been taken the wrong way. Estonia wanted to get along with Russia as well, and that didn’t mean that Russia was about to get everything it wanted.
“Trump may be politically inexperienced, and unpredictable because of it, but he won’t let anyone take advantage of him,” Helme said.
Editor: Editor: Dario Cavegn