Foreign ministry sources indicate that the NPP government holds a strong interest in Trump for several reasons. Firstly, they anticipate a decline in U.S. pressure regarding human rights, democracy, and reconciliation. Secondly, the historical ties between the JVP and Russia play a significant role in their stance. Additionally, the NPP government views the reduced U.S. pressure on Chinese relations as a welcomed relief.
This is not a situation only unique to Sri Lanka. Governments in third world countries that have succumbed to US influence perceive Trump’s policies as an advantage for their own governments.
However, it is not possible to think that the Free World concept will disappear because of Trump’s policies. It was French President Emmanuel Macron who pointed out the risk of relying on the US for the concept of the Free World several years back. In January 2024, he said this during a visit to Sweden.
“This is a decisive and testing moment for Europe. We must be ready to act to defend and support Ukraine whatever it takes and whatever America decides,” Macron said during a speech at Sweden’s Military Academy Karlberg.”
In April 2023, he visited China and said this.
Macron said “Europe should be a third power in the world order, along with the US and China.”
These comments reaffirmed Macron’s long-term goal of “strategic autonomy” for Europe,
Macron’s statements make it clear that he has been dreaming of freeing the European Union from American dominance and making it the third superpower for some time. Trump’s policy has allowed him to realize that dream.
When third-world countries went bankrupt after COVID-19, he held an international conference in France to support bankrupt countries. He helped Sri Lanka obtain the IMF package. He helped not only Sri Lanka but also bankrupt countries to obtain the IMF package. He came to Sri Lanka in 2023 after a tour of the Indo-Pacific region. Foreign relations experts said about his tour that he was ready to enter the Indo-Pacific region as a third power, where the United States and China are trying to subjugate them.
He also demonstrated his qualifications for leadership of the Free World in his recent discussion with Trump regarding the Ukraine war. Three leaders are vying for the leadership of the Free World that Trump will relinquish. They are the President of France, the Prime Minister of Britain, and the newly elected Chancellor of Germany. The world is waiting to see whether the leadership of these three world powers will fill the vacuum left by American leadership.
