Trump victory in Iowa raises alarm in Berlin: 'High time to prepare'

Following former US president Donald Trump's victory in the first Republican primary, German politicians have called on the government to prepare for the possibility of another Trump term in office.

"The German government can no longer ignore domestic political developments in the United States. The US is too important a partner for that," Jürgen Hardt, a senior lawmaker from the conservative CDU/CSU opposition bloc, told dpa on Tuesday.

Although many Iowa Republicans did not vote for Trump, Hardt said it is nonetheless "high time to prepare for a president Trump."

Trump's bellicose rhetoric during his first term in office and open scepticism about US foreign commitments such as the NATO alliance caused great concern in Germany and throughout much of Europe.

The prospect of another four years of Trump could have serious implications for Europe, especially if Trump were to reduce US aid for Ukraine.

CDU foreign policy expert Norbert Röttgen told the Tagesspiegel newspaper that Germany and the EU must prepare for Trump by ramping up their arms production "so that Ukraine can defend itself against a Russian attack even without US help."

"Europe's freedom depends on this," Röttgen said.

Agnieszka Brugger, vice-chairwoman of the Green Party, said a more radical US policy under Trump would have negative consequences for international security, solidarity and respect for international law.

The current debate in the US Congress on further military aid for Ukraine shows how dangerous isolationism in large parts of the Republican Party is for European security, Brugger said in a statement.