Europe must take responsibility for its security, Polish FM says after Trump's win

European nations must take their security policy more seriously,  Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said at a press conference on Nov. 6 in the wake of Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. election.

"Europe urgently needs to take more responsibility for its security," Sikorski said.

President-elect Trump has repeatedly lambasted European NATO members for not investing enough in their defense capabilities and instead relying on the U.S. He also criticized U.S. aid for Ukraine, mocking President Volodymyr Zelensky as the "greatest salesman on earth."

"The winds of history are blowing ever more strongly. Poland's leadership will rise to the occasion," Sikorski added, urging European countries to boost defense spending.

European nations need to rethink their security policy, with Poland positioned at the forefront of the changes, the minister added. Poland is the only NATO country that spends more than 4% of its GDP on its military capabilities, ranking first in the alliance in terms of GDP share.

Warsaw has also been a vocal supporter of Ukraine on the world stage, campaigning for Kyiv to receive all the required weaponry to win the war that Russia had begun. It has provided Ukraine with around $3.5 billion in military aid since 2022.

On the campaign trail, Trump has repeatedly suggested that he would end the war within 24 hours if elected while refraining from sharing the specifics of his plan. His advisors have proposed withholding U.S. military aid to Ukraine unless Kyiv agrees to negotiate with Russia.

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The Kyiv IndependentTimothy Ash

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