The former German ambassador to the United States Wolfgang Ischinger has challenged the assumption that a Democratic victory in the US midterm elections  automatically benefits the European Union. In this DW interview, he discusses whether a politically weakened Donald Trump could become more unpredictable on foreign policy, and what that could mean for Germany, NATO and Ukraine. The conversation also examines the future of trans-Atlantic relations, Russia's war in Ukraine, EU defense efforts and the possible long-term influence of figures such as JD Vance on US foreign policy.