(AFP) – European leaders gathered in Budapest Thursday in search of a joint response to the threats of a new Donald Trump presidency — though the seat of powerhouse Germany was left empty by a deepening political crisis. The leaders of the European Union were joined by others from the United Kingdom to Turkey, as well as NATO chief Mark Rutte and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, for the meeting of the European Political Community — to be followed by a summit of the 27-nation bloc.
“The future of Europe is in our hands,” European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said as she headed into the talks dominated by Trump’s return to the White House. “We’ve shown that Europe can take responsibility by standing together.” On the agenda: Europe’s security challenges, chief among them Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as conflict in the Middle East, migration, global trade, and economic security — issues all thrown into sharp relief by the prospect of a disruptive second Trump presidency.
“This is a decisive moment in history for us Europeans,” Macron told the gathering in opening remarks. “Do we want to read the history written by others — the wars launched by Vladimir Putin, the US election, China’s technological or trade choices?” Macron asked. “Or do we want to write our own history? I think we have the strength to write it.” While Macron’s tone was combative, he has been weakened by political troubles at home, as has the leader of the bloc’s other heavyweight — Germany’s Olaf Scholz — whose ruling coalition finally collapsed overnight, spelling uncertainty at a critical time for Europe.
In a stark illustration of the leadership void, Macron made his appeal in the absence of the German chancellor — who missed the day’s talks due to the unfolding crisis and was to catch up with leaders over dinner.
Most urgent among the challenges posed by Trump’s return are the fear he could upend European security and pull the plug on support for Ukraine, while simultaneously unleashing a trade war with steep tariffs on European goods. Macron urged the continent to assert its strategic independence from the United States — and defend its interests over those of geopolitical rivals. “We must not delegate forever our security to America,” he said.
But Ukraine’s Zelensky, in addressing the gathering, made clear Kyiv was still counting on US engagement as well as a strong Europe to repel Russia’s invasion. “We do hope that America will become stronger. This is the kind of America that Europe needs. And a strong Europe is what America needs. This is the connection between allies that must be valued and cannot be lost,” Zelensky said. That message was reinforced by NATO’s Rutte, who made a pitch to convince Trump to keep backing Kyiv, arguing that North Korea’s involvement in the conflict — and the transfer of Russian weapons technology to Pyongyang — directly threatened the United States. “I look forward to sit down with Donald Trump to discuss how we can face these threats collectively,” said the alliance’s new leader.
The Budapest meetings are being hosted by Hungary’s Viktor Orban — one of Trump’s rare close allies in the EU — who adopted a noticeably restrained tone as he joined calls for European unity. Friday’s EU summit will focus on addressing the risk of Europe’s economy falling dangerously behind major rivals the United States and China. Trump’s return will only intensify calls — highlighted in a key report by former Italian leader Mario Draghi — for vitally needed new EU funding tools for defence and economic innovation, seen as critical to ensuring its sovereignty.
“The Europeans really have a knife at their throat,” said political analyst Sebastien Maillard, of the Jacques Delors Institute. “The election result forces the EU to open its eyes.” But whether Trump’s election will jolt the continent’s leaders into action remains to be seen. “I don’t think they really prepared for this,” said Guntram Wolff of the Bruegel think tank. “There is no fully discussed plan on what to do now — at the EU level, but also at the Franco-German level.”
Thursday’s leaders’ dinner is supposed to be devoted to the issue of transatlantic relations. But beyond a bland statement acknowledging the result, Ian Lesser, vice president at the German Marshall Fund of the United States think tank predicted it would be “very difficult for European leaders to produce a coherent reaction” at this stage.
– Emma CHARLTON
© 2024 AFP
