Latvia Doesn't Care Who is in Power in the U.S. – Latvian Researcher Assesses Overseas Elections

This assessment was given in a comment to the LETA agency by Sandis Šrāders, a senior researcher at the Latvian Institute of International Affairs, while analyzing the preliminary results of the midterm elections in the U.S. According to Šrāders, support for the Baltic states from the U.S. has been stable and unwavering, despite the fact that U.S. foreign policy under President Donald Trump is characterized by inconsistency and unpredictability. The researcher pointed out that, no matter how tense the situation with the American budget is and how rapidly the U.S. national debt is growing, Trump and the American administration did not exclude aid under the Baltic Security Initiative from the budget, which provides military support from the U.S. to Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. Not everyone has been so fortunate. Šrāders noted that the U.S. has reassessed its support for partners such as Taiwan, which helps America maintain its leading position in technology. Additionally, the American president has reconsidered support for Israel — a strategic partner of the U.S. that has one of the largest lobbies in America. The researcher from Latvia also mentioned discussions about the redeployment of American troops in Europe. Šrāders acknowledged that Trump has behaved unpredictably in foreign policy, leading some allies to conclude that American foreign policy under him is inconsistent and not all partners can count on U.S. support in the long term. As an example, the researcher cited Ukraine and Trump's attitude towards European security, which currently largely depends on Ukraine. In Šrāders' assessment, Trump has also been unpredictable regarding the Middle East. The U.S. president started a war that is difficult or even impossible to end, as Iran is a large country with a population of 90 million and various interest groups, making it an influential player in the region. Šrāders emphasized that Europe cannot rely solely on U.S. support. He highlighted three areas in which Europe fundamentally depends on America: communication systems and satellite capabilities, cyber deterrence, and nuclear deterrence. It should be noted that not everyone shares Šrāders' optimism. As reported by bb.lv, in Germany, it is believed that after the midterm elections, Trump may become even more dangerous for Europe.