Current President Barack Obama visited German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday and commented on Trump’s remarks about Vladimir Putin and Russia.
Although Obama endorsed Clinton, he showed optimism about his successor due to the fact that being in the Oval Office forces one to focus. Contrary to what Americans believe, Putin’s campaign on Ukraine is a serious concern for the European community, which could have global implications that would eventually hit the U.S.
“If you are not serious about the job, then you probably won’t be there very long because it will expose problems,” stated President Obama.
Trump vs. the world
Trump has previously stated that the United States does not need Ukraine as an ally, this has caused some revolt among European leaders and may have even contributed to the United Kingdom’s exit from the EU.
President Obama and Chancellor Merkel dined together on Wednesday and met again at the chancellery on Thursday. On Friday, they are expected to meet a group of European leaders to pave the way for the next President of the United States.
Both Obama and Merkel assured that Russia’s sanctions will be renewed until it ceases its disruptive agenda. But seeing that Trump “likes” Putin, one can only hope that the 45th President of the United States knows how to stand up to the fiercest authoritarian leader of the century.
One of the main concerns of President Obama is that Trump may feel inclined to cut deals with Russia, even if they step over international agreements and alliances that the U.S. has established over the course of the years. During the election, U.S. intelligence officials assured that Russia was behind the hacking of the Democratic National Headquarters. Trump dismissed the claim and did not care about Putin’s alleged interference in the national election.
Although the U.S. mandates that the limit of a president’s time in office is of eight years, Germany does not have such limitations. Having a conservative majority, Merkel is expected to run again for chancellor, adding to 12 years in power, but there have not been any clear statements on her behalf. Obama called Merkel to be “tough,” seeing that she will have to bear large burdens for what is coming to Europe in the next few years.
Merkel has been one of President Obama’s most valuable allies in coordinating efforts between the U.S. and Europe to stand up to Russia and ISIS.
After Trump won the election, he received a call from Vladimir Putin, after which the Kremlin announced that Trump can be expected to normalize U.S-Russia relations. This could mean that the sanctions on the Crimean and Syrian campaigns will be dropped, leading to a full-force offensive from Russia.
Seeing that Trump has been labeled as a world-class liar and that he already changed his stance on Obamacare, promising a better alternative, his stance in international politics will be something no one can predict. Because Trump’s election has no precedent in the history of the United States, it is a matter of time until America knows what it can achieve with an unconventional president with no experience in politics, paired up with a Republican majority in both House and Senate.
Source: Reuters