European leaders have gathered in Budapest, Hungary for the fifth European Political Community (EPC) summit.
The two days of top-level talks is expected give an indication of how united the continent can remain in response to Donald Trump’s second term as US President.
Hosted by Hungary’s Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, a Trump ally who has enthusiastically hailed the Republican candidate’s re-election, the EU27’s leaders were joined by 20 other leaders from the wider European political community, including the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the UK’s Prime Minister, Keir Starmer and Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
On the agenda for the long-scheduled meeting of the European Political Community were support for Ukraine, migration, global trade and economic security, with an informal EU leaders’ summit scheduled for tomorrow, Friday, November 8, 2024, due to focus on the bloc’s declining competitiveness.
Leaders were upbeat as they arrived, stressing the need for a strong Europe and effective transatlantic cooperation with Trump.
President of the European council, Charles Michel said that Europe aims to be a “respected partner” and deepen its ties with the US, while recognising “some differences.”
The Commission’s President, Ursula von der Leyen, said that the bloc must maintain unity.
“We have shown Europe can take responsibility by standing together – we showed it during the pandemic and the energy crisis. If we are facing challenges, no country can handle them alone but by standing together we can overcome them.”
Ursula von der Leyen
Von der Leyen said that she was looking forward to working with Trump again “in a good manner … to strengthen the transatlantic bond” based on a clear-headed analysis of shared interests. “The future of Europe is in our hands,” she said.
On Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, von der Leyen said, “It is in all our interests that the autocrats of this world get a very clear message that is not the right of might – that the rule of law is important.”
Macron Tells Europe To Assert Its Independence
French President, Emmanuel Macron said that Europe must assert its independence from the US and defend its interests over those of geopolitical rivals at a “decisive moment,” adding, “We must not forever delegate our security to America.”
Macron stressed that Europe must seize control of its own history.
“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 – or do we want to write our own?”
Emmanuel Macron
However, other leaders were more circumspect.
Luxembourg’s Prime Minister, Luc Frieden, said that Trump was “known sometimes for a degree of unpredictability, a degree of volatility, so we need dialogue.” He added, “We will seek dialogue, but won’t give up our principles.”
Finland’s Prime Minister, Petteri Orpo, also said that he was alarmed at the prospect of a trade war.
“It should not be allowed to happen. Let’s now try to influence the US and Trump’s future policy so that he understands the risks involved.”
Petteri Orpo
European leaders called on Trump to maintain US support for Ukraine and avoid a damaging trade war when he returns to the White House for a second term likely to prove a major challenge for the continent.
Trump’s victory brings unwanted further uncertainty to the continent at a time when it is already struggling to agree on common responses to its problems, including much-needed new funding tools for defence and economic innovation.
The return of the former President raises the prospect of a halt to US support for Ukraine, fuels doubts over Washington’s future commitment to the NATIO alliance and could herald economically disastrous tariffs on European exports.
It is also likely to bolster Europe’s advancing far-right parties at a time when the bloc’s two biggest powers, Germany, whose coalition government collapsed on Wednesday, and France, are weakened by political crises at home.
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