Latvian experts: US midterms unlikely to change Washington's course on Europe
On the Delfi programme "Komandcentrs", Latvian analysts assessed the impact of the US midterm elections. One expert expects no change in US foreign policy, while another warns Trump may chase foreign-policy wins.
Two Latvian international relations experts discussed what the US midterm election results mean for Europe and the wider world on "Komandcentrs", a programme by the Latvian news portal Delfi. Midterm elections take place midway through a presidential term, and the analysts assessed their effect on the policy of US President Donald Trump.
Sintija Broka-Kovalevska, head of international relations at the analytics group Powerhouse Latvija, urged viewers not to be too pleased about the outcome. In her view, if Trump seems a difficult figure now, it is worth waiting to see what comes after him. She expressed confidence that the US foreign policy course, in which defending Europe is not a priority, will not change as a result of the elections.
Possible foreign-policy activity
Toms Rātfelders, a lecturer at Riga Stradiņš University and researcher at the Latvian Institute of International Affairs, pointed to a different risk. He argued that if Trump can no longer carry out his domestic plans, he may look even harder for foreign-policy victories that can be "sold" to voters.
Rātfelders noted that past experience with this "master of deals" and his adventures gives more reason for concern than for celebration.
