The reactions of Europe’s leaders to the recent decisions and declarations from the new Trump administration vary from half-veiled concern about an as yet unconfirmed change of direction in United States foreign policy and the desire to maintain the traditionally strong transatlantic links.
Two weeks after the investiture of Donald Trump, the signals coming out of the White House, sometimes later tempered by the American administration, while not causing the European leaders to give in to anti-Americanism, nonetheless emphasise the urgency of the need to discuss how best to react.
“Clearly there was concern among the member states over decisions taken. However, there was no anti-American feeling. There was a sense that we need to engage with the United States just the same, but that we need to show… that we cannot stay silent where there are principles involved”, stated Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat at the informal summit in Valletta on Friday 3 February.
Over lunch, the leaders spoke about the international situation, discussing developments in transatlantic relations, the resurgence of the armed conflict in Eastern Ukraine and the tense political situation in the Balkans. UK Prime Minister Theresa May, who did not address the press on Friday, briefed her counterparts about her recent visit to the United States. She said she had told Trump that it was better to have a strong, united Europe and Trump had affirmed his commitment to NATO, a European source revealed.
French President François Hollande noted a certain “reserve” towards the new American administration on the part of some of the leaders around the table though others showed “good will”. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, finding it difficult to understand the “neurotic” reactions of some of his partners, had said earlier that the Americans were entitled to defend their borders, hungarytoday.hu reports. Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo also insisted that, above all, there should be no threats, and confrontation should be avoided. Rather, attempts must be made to engage in dialogue with the new president.
Several leaders stressed the importance of maintaining strong transatlantic links. European Council President Donald Tusk said that “transatlantic cooperation remains an absolute priority because it has until now been a key pillar of the free world”. In the same vein, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that strong links had to be maintained between Europe and the United States, particularly in the fight against terrorism. An unflustered European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker urged that efforts should be made to inform the United States about Europe.
Defining a vision on future of Union with 27
In the opinion of several European leaders, it is time to transform the threats – such as the supposed or obvious disinterest of the Americans to the EU – into new opportunities that require reflection on what the EU member states want to do together. The US policy can be “an alarm signal” for Europeans, said Austria’s Chancellor Christian Kern.
People have said we must “take our destiny in our hands”, “defend our values and our interests”, strengthen our defence efforts in cooperation with NATO, and seize the trade “opportunities” or the opportunities for the development of Africa, Merkel said. Hollande used similar language: “Europe must reaffirm its vision of the world and its organisation, including for dealing with big conflicts such as Syria”. Defining such a strategy requires Europeans to reflect on their common project for the future, he added. Without ruling out a “multi-speed” Union, he nevertheless thought that unity remained “crucial” because “Europe is not a source of ready money, nor a self-service restaurant where you take Structural Funds and then show absolutely no solidarity”. On the side of the Visegrad group, Sydlzo called on her counterparts not to be afraid to re-open the Treaties, if necessary, in order to give the EU credibility, as she said.
Earlier in the day, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini had urged the Europeans to “stay faithful to [their] values” and to be “a benchmark” in the world by defending “multilateralism, peace, security, and free and fair trade”. Even if we remain “friends” with the Americans, we will speak with them about what, according to our values, brings us closer to them or differentiates us, she said, adding that “with regard to migration, our model is cooperation. We do not believe in walls”.
Benelux unveils its vision of the future of Europe
In Rome on Saturday 25 March, Europeans will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, very probably without the UK, which will have notified its intention to leave the EU (see EUROPE 11716). After Theresa May’s departure, the EU27 focused on the Rome Declaration.
Greece’s Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras doubted that Europe is able to change its current trajectory, as he calls for. He stated that elections will take place in parallel in 2017 – in the Netherlands, Bulgaria, France and Germany – and these are the elections that risk re-orientating the Union’s trajectory.
In Valletta, the three Benelux countries told the member states of their vision for the future of Europe that is likely to enable the Union to address “the troubled waters” it is going through. They argue for a future cooperation that strengthens “the four freedoms, the single market, the social dimension – including a social market economy – and a strong and competitive eurozone”. Nevertheless, in order to respect the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality, the EU “will only do what the member states are not able to achieve on their own for their citizens”, but it “will have to act with firmness in areas where its intervention constitutes an undisputed added European value”. Committed to the community method and in favour of more “democratic and transparent” decision-making processes, Benelux does not rule out, however, the idea of different tracks of integration. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion with Solenn Paulic)