Sebastian Schäffer on Alghad TV: Trump, Davos and the Consequences of Uncertainty

Sebastian Schäffer, Director of the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe (IDM), spoke with Alghad TV about Donald Trump’s current approach to trade, security and international politics, referring also to his remarks at the World Economic Forum in Davos. 

Schäffer argued that Trump continues to follow a familiar pattern of exerting pressure through announcements such as tariffs, only to partially step back again without providing a clear or stable framework. Announcing that tariffs will not be imposed today, he noted, does not guarantee that positions will not change again tomorrow. This uncertainty itself has consequences for markets, allies and global security. 

In the interview, Schäffer also questioned why Europe and the wider transatlantic community remain poorly prepared for a second Trump presidency, despite having had years to anticipate such a scenario. Instead of a coherent collective response, he observed continued attempts to accommodate this style of political pressure. 

Schäffer placed these developments in a broader security context, pointing to Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine. He argued that hesitation and unclear red lines in the past have sent dangerous signals and contributed to escalation dynamics. Today, he warned, a return to raw realpolitik and the re-emergence of spheres of influence risk further sidelining smaller and middle-sized states. 

According to Schäffer, this trend represents a continued erosion of the multilateral order, one for which Ukraine is currently paying a particularly high price. 

The full interview (in Arabic) can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wu2L06r7jr0.