The EU MUST develop its OWN army now Trump is US President, historian argues
EUROPE needs to consider building its own army and defence systems now that Donald Trump has been elected as the US President, an expert has claimed.
Applebaum: 'EU must develop army now Trump is President'
Anne Applebaum said that Britain and the rest of Europe should no longer rely on the "special relationship" that has built-up with the US following second World War.
When quizzed on Newsnight about whether the idea of a European army should be reignited, the Washington Post columnist said: "I think Europeans, and I include Britain in this, need to now start from the assumption that the US is no longer an absolutely reliable partner.
Evan Davis questions Anne Applebaum on Newsnight
It's very important to keep repeating that until it begins to sink into people's brains
"It's very important to keep repeating that until it begins to sink into people's brains."
The historian repeated that Donald Trump had no need to maintain the special relationship between Europe and the US.
During his presidential campaign, Trump said the US would not come to the rescue of its Nato allies if it had not fulfilled its "obligation to make payments".
Applebaum said that Britain and Europe should no longer rely on the 'special relationship'
When asked if Britain and the US would maintain the special relationship because the UK voted to leave the EU and the US elected an anti-establishment President, Mrs Applebaum repeatedly answered "no".
She added: "There is no reason you have a special relationship with Donald Trump. He's not an Anglophile, he's not interested in Britain.
"He has no relationships here. Hillary Clinton does, and would, but he does not.
Donald Trump was elected President of the United States
"What needs to happen is that Europeans need to face up to what's going on, and whether it's going to be a European army or whether it's rethinking NATO, or whether it's some new structure altogether, the idea of European defence needs to be thought through from the beginning, starting now."
The idea of an European army has been mooted by Eurocrats in the failing Brussels bloc in the past.