A month after the return of Donald Trump to the White House, the relationships between the United States and the European Union have gotten more and more full.
Barely a month after the inauguration of Donald Trump as President of the United States on January 20, the transatlantic report is on a shaky land.
Commerce was one of many most important areas of concern, since Trump triggered 25% charges on metal and aluminum imports.
“On commerce, I made a decision for fairness functions that I’ll cost a mutual charge, which implies that any international locations accuse the United States of America … We will accuse them,” mentioned Trump.
On the opposite aspect of the Atlantic, the previous continent is in search of a solution.
The president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen replied that “the unjustified customs duties imposed on the European Union won’t be unanswered”.
“We are one of many largest markets on the planet. We will use our instruments to safeguard our security and financial pursuits. And we are going to defend our staff, our actions and customers at every flip,“ Ursula von der Leyen instructed Munich’s safety convention final week.
War in Ukraine
While maintaining Europe apart in its initiation of peace interviews in Ukraine, the United States started negotiations with Moscow in Saudi Arabia Tuesday, opening the door to quite a few concessions to Vladimir Putin.
“I do not see how a rustic within the place of Russia can enable them (Ukraine) to affix the NATO,” mentioned Donald Trump.
“I feel that is why the battle has began,” he added, echoing rhetoric normally utilized by Moscow.
For its half, the European Union is making an attempt to shut the ranks.
“We will proceed to help Ukraine in negotiations, offering ensures of safety, in reconstruction and as a future member of the European Union”, assured António Costa, president of the European Council, on the Munich Security Conference final weekend.
Donald Trump has even gone additional in the previous couple of days, questioning the recognition of the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and accusing him of being a “dictator”, attracting a wave of criticisms from the European Championships.
“It is totally absurd. If you don’t tweet rapidly, however you see the actual world, then you understand who sadly should reside in dictatorial situations in Europe – the Russian folks, the folks of Belarus”, replied the German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on the tv channel ZDF viewers.
“The Ukrainian folks, with their authorities, are combating day by day for democracy in Ukraine,” he added.
Battle of values
Just a few days earlier than the elections in Germany, the Vice -President of the United States JD Vance criticized what he described as a decline in freedom of expression in Europe.
“The risk to Europe that worries me extra is just not Russia, China or another exterior actor,” mentioned Vance. What worries me is the risk from the within: the European retreat from a few of its basic values, values shared with the United States of America “.
In flip, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz denounced his observations as a overseas interference.
“We won’t settle for that individuals who have a look at Germany from the surface intervene in our democracy, our elections and the democratic strategy of formation of the opinion,” he replied.
This is just not the primary time that the Trump subject touches a nerve in Germany relating to its subsequent elections. On January 9, about ten days earlier than the inauguration of Donald Trump, the billionaire born in South Africa and the pricey pal of the elected president, Elon Musk, offers the tone chatting reside on his social community X with Alice Weidel, the candidate of the space -German different summary Für Deutschland (AFD).
A brand new web page is now remodeled. According to a latest researchEuropeans now contemplate the United States as a “needed accomplice” reasonably than an “ally”.