Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR) President Kelemen Hunor, on Friday, at the opening of the 4th edition of the Transylvanian Economic Forum in Targu Mures, said that the majority of the European political elite makes no intellectual effort to understand the ideological basis of the Trump administration in order to realise that behind it there is a well-consolidated ideology.

„The vast majority of politicians speak about things that are true, such as taxes, this tax war, transactionalism, issues related to security and the presence or disengagement of the United States in Europe. We must see that Pax Americana has ended, on one hand. On the other hand, we need to understand what is behind these actions, and I am under the impression that the majority of the political elites in Europe do not make an intellectual effort to understand that behind the decisions made by the Trump administration, there is a very well-consolidated ideology. Without understanding this ideology and the values behind it, it is almost impossible to get closer again,” UDMR leader Kelemen Hunor told the press at the end of his speech.

In his view, the UDMR leader said, there is still a need for strong transatlantic relations, but Europeans must make an effort to understand what is happening, „not to lament and constantly speak only in harsh terms about the United States.”

„For at least the last 10 years, the European Union should have known. They knew, but they thought it was another reality. They knew that we needed to increase defence investments. Even during President Obama’s period, the United States started turning towards the Pacific. It was clear that the moment would come – it was very visible in the first Trump administration – when we would have to invest in defense. Europe lived under the false illusion that up until the end of time, lunch could be free, and there would be no cost. So, it is impossible not to realise that America will not support the defence and security of Europe until the end of time. We lost 10 years on false issues, and now we wake up to find that we suddenly need to invest massively because the United States is starting a disengagement from Europe, and the attention of the United States will turn more towards the Pacific, towards Asia. From this point of view, it is clear that we need to do this, after which we must be very honest that, at this moment, the European Union does not have the necessary funds, nor does it have the developed industry to support, from one day to the next, year after year, everything needed for the security of the continent,” said Kelemen Hunor.

The UDMR leader believes it will take 8-10 years, and that it cannot be said or accepted that, without the United States, for example, the shield on the eastern line – the Baltic States, Poland, Romania – will function without the U.S.

„Without America, it will not work because the Patriot systems only work with the Americans. That is why we still need the United States. At the same time, we need to invest in weapons, in the army, in equipment, in infrastructure, and Romania will move in this direction… Romania’s defence industry does not look very good, but in a few years, it will look better. We need to invest in know-how, we need to invest in new technologies, in modernisation, and in things that probably didn’t exist 10-20 years ago, like drones, and so on,” Kelemen Hunor also said.

AGERPRES