go to the original language article
Ljubljana – Europe must, in light of the challenges posed by Donald Trump‘s return to the White House, focus on its resilience and economic recovery, said Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon in an interview with the Slovenian Press Agency (STA). “A strong, united, connected, and also expanded Europe is the perspective we desire in Slovenia,” said the minister.
Regarding EU enlargement, Fajon welcomes the ambition of both the European Commission and Commissioner Marta Kos to have at least “two or three” countries ready to join the EU during this Commission’s term. She pointed out that the EU must be ready for this on its side. The idea of admitting countries to the EU in a package is “fantastic and idealistic but unrealistic,” as the enlargement process is based on meeting criteria, she said.
How the new American administration will act regarding the war in Ukraine is, for now, something we can only imagine, but there has been some heightened rhetoric from Trump towards Russian President Vladimir Putin in recent weeks. “Certainly, a conversation and meeting between them can be expected. I also expect pressure on Putin to end this war. This is the rhetoric coming from Washington,” she said. However, if Ukraine is forced to change internationally recognized borders with weapons to end the war, it would be a very dangerous precedent in history and in the global order, she warned.
The security situation in the Middle East will undoubtedly be a key challenge for Slovenia in the UN Security Council this year, the minister emphasized. Whether the fragile truce between Israel and Hamas will hold depends on all actors involved, and international pressure on all sides is strong, she said.
Europe will need to be significantly more involved and confident in discussions about the future political architecture in the region, which would ensure security for Israelis and Palestinians coexisting in the Middle East. “Whether this leads to a protectorate or some form of international presence, I believe this is the direction it will go, as it will take quite some time before the Palestinian authority is formed,” she said.
She also spoke about how Trump’s return to the White House would impact the political image of Europe, where the far-right is gaining strength. She warned about external interference in elections and democratic processes in European countries and the spread of disinformation.
With the support of tech mogul Elon Musk, a close associate of Trump, German far-right AfD ahead of elections in that country, she warned: “There are external influences from various actors in Europe during elections, there is disinformation, there is political interference, political propaganda is happening. We need to be aware and able to respond to this.” We will need to significantly strengthen this awareness in Slovenia as well, in her opinion. (January 25)