How Eastern Europe reacted to Trump assassination attempt 

With the ongoing war in Ukraine and Russia’s continued aggression, the outcome of the US presidential campaign is of utmost importance for the European Union and especially for the nations of Eastern Europe which find themselves very close to an increasingly volatile frontline. No surprise then that the politicians of Eastern Europe were the first to react at the failed assassination attempt on the life of the Republican candidate for the presidency of the United States – Donald Trump.

One of the first reactions came from Kremlin where the spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry used the opportunity to denounce US military and financial support for Ukraine.

"Wouldn't it be better if this money were used to finance the American police and other services that should ensure law and order in the United States?" Zaharova asked. “We do not at all think or believe that the attempt to eliminate presidential candidate Trump was organized by the current government, but the atmosphere that this administration created during the political struggle, the atmosphere around candidate Trump provoked what America is faced with today,” she added.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Sunday sent his "thoughts and prayers" to Donald Trump. "My thoughts and prayers go out to President @realDonaldTrump in these dark hours," he wrote on the X social network, two days after meeting with the former US president at his residence in Mar-a-Lago, Florida.

The Romanian President, Klaus Iohannis, also reacted to the failed assassination attempt by writing on X social platform.

“I am appalled by the attack on former President Trump at his campaign rally. I wish him a speedy and full recovery. Violence and aggression are not attributes of any democracy. We stand by the 🇺🇸 people.”

Romania holds several US military bases and military installations. Romania borders Ukraine and the country’s position is key on NATO’s eastern flank.

A Romanian member of the European Parliament, Rareş Bogdan, added “the fact that such a dastardly attacks is possible shows that even the most advanced democratic systems can have their slips or crisis”. The attempted assassination of Donald Trump will have “consequences at all levels, and the electoral effect will be victimization of the candidate”, he told EU Reporter.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who survived an assassination attempt in May, condemned the shooting in a Facebook post. He drew direct parallels between the two incidents, suggesting the attack on Trump was the result of a campaign by his political opponents.

The Slovakian PM is not a huge supporter of Ukraine’s NATO membership and his views together with those of Hungary’s Orbán are more aligned with those of Donald Trump than of the incumbent US president when it comes to the war in Ukraine.

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