Editorial: Europe has woken up – thanks to Donald Trump

The Lithuanian President was a guest in Germany this week, including at a German-Lithuanian economic forum in Düsseldorf, where I interviewed him on stage together with Rheinmetall boss Armin Papperger.

Gitanas Nausėda, economist, former professor at Vilnius University, explained what economic cooperation once looked like: In the past, the significantly lower labor costs were the decisive reason why European companies came to his country. One of the main pillars of cooperation at that time: the import of used cars to Lithuania.

And today? The Munich drone manufacturer Quantum Systems cooperates closely with the Lithuanian defense company ADV Defense, Rheinmetall is building a large ammunition factory in the country, and a Lithuanian company recently supplied the technology for German local transport apps. And the Bundeswehr will have a tank brigade permanently stationed in the Baltic state by the end of 2027.

The new closeness of the two countries, the flourishing economic relations, the focus on defense and technology - all of this has many causes, above all the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. But another important reason is Donald Trump. We should not forget this in our euphoria about the new America.