The European Union must have its own nuclear deterrent "on the way to a European army", says the German SPD’s politician.

Katerina Barley, the German SPD’s top candidate in the European Parliament elections, is clearly worried that Donald Trump could win the US presidential elections and called into doubt whether Europe’s protection under the US nuclear umbrella will be ensured.

„Given Donald Trump’s recent statements, this can no longer be relied upon,” the politician told the German newspaper Tagesspiegel in an interview.

Asked whether the EU may need its own nuclear bombs, the SPD politician said: „This could also become an issue on the way to a European army.”

“The nuclear deterrent for Europe lies with Nato,” Barley said, adding that „as NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg rightly noted, it remains in the Americans’ interest to provide this significantly”. However, because of the war in Ukraine and Donald Trump’s recent comments, Barley believes Europe needs to do more for its own security.

At a recent campaign event, Donald Trump said that the US should not protect those NATO member countries that are not spending enough on defence from a possible Russian attack.

This caused elevated levels of panic among leading politicians.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz responded by saying that any relativisation of NATO protection guarantees was „irresponsible and dangerous”.

NATO’s promise of protection is without restriction: all for one, one for all. Any relativisation of the mutual defence guarantee is irresponsible and dangerous. Nobody is allowed to play or do deals with Europe’s security. We will strengthen NATO for the security of Europe.

— Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz (@Bundeskanzler) February 12, 2024

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said:

Former US President Donald Trump’s recent statements on NATO funding and common defence should serve as a wake-up call to allies, spurring them to invest more in defence.

Roberta Metsola, president of the European Parliament, emphasised at her joint press conference with Kallas that the European Union has to spend more on defense.

Regardless of who heads the next US government, the EU must send a clear message that „we are strong enough to protect each other,” she said. Referring to Trump’s comment, the EU Parliament president added: in the case of all such statements, the inherent danger must be recognised, but at the same time, so must the need to do more in the way of protection.