On Tuesday, Republican Donald Trump secured an unexpected victory in the election with 290 electoral votes against his rival Hillary Clinton's 232.
Trump’s victory is good news for Italy and Europe, said Germano Dottori, an expert at the Center for Strategic Studies at the Rome-based LUISS Guido Carli University.
"To begin with, we have avoided Hillary Clinton’s presidency. It would have imposed many obligations on Europe. I mean imposing of 'human rights' and attempts to influence the situation in other sovereign states," Dottori told Sputnik Italia.
Dottori noted that Trump will protect Washington’s national interests but "probably in a different way."
"He is a businessman and he’s against war. However, Trump is inclined to tough negotiations. His policy is going to be realistic. Probably, sooner or later, the newly elected US president would strike a systemic agreement with Moscow, in a bid to decrease US military presence," the expert suggested.
"As for Trump, I expect progress in Washington-Moscow relations. However, many in his administration are likely to oppose such a strategy," he added.
"The fight against terrorism may be the first topic for talks between Trump and [Russian President Vladimir] Putin. Moreover, NATO may re-adjust its policy in Southern Europe. This would be an optimal scenario for Italy. So, it is unclear why major Italian officials publicly supported Clinton during her electoral campaign," Dottori concluded.
