LONDON, March 10. /TASS/. European countries need to scale up defense expenditures in view of the possible return of ex-US President Donald Trump to the White House, The Daily Telegraph said, citing diplomats of NATO member-countries.

Europe should be ready to lower involvement of Washington in activities of NATO institutions in case Trump wins the presidential election in the US this November. European diplomats even urge to develop plans for the case of the US withdrawal from the North Atlantic alliance, the newspaper said.

According to officials, Europe will have to reconsider its excessive dependence on the US in the defense sphere.