French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke in Paris of the problem posed by means of US President Donald Trump.
French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz met on Wednesday in Paris, the place they emphasized Europe’s energy and team spirit within the face of tarriff threats from US President Donald Trump.
All over a joint press convention sooner than their operating lunch on the Elysee Palace, Macron mentioned it was once a crucial second for France and Germany to take a number one position and make sure that Europe was once able to protecting its pursuits whilst keeping up transatlantic ties.
“Now that the brand new management has taken place of business in the USA, it’s extra necessary than ever for Europeans, and subsequently for our two international locations, to play their complete phase in consolidating a united, robust, and sovereign Europe,” Macron mentioned.
Scholz echoed Macron’s phrases, acknowledging that the Trump presidency would pose demanding situations however reaffirming the longstanding dating between the EU and the United States.
“This very week, we’re coping with a brand new US management. It’s already transparent that President Trump will probably be a problem,” he mentioned.
“Our place is obvious. Europe is a huge financial house with round 450 million electorate. We’re robust. We stand in combination. Europe is not going to duck and conceal,” Scholz added.
Trump mentioned on Tuesday that he would impose price lists at the EU because of business surpluses with the United States, announcing that bloc was once “very, very dangerous to us”. He additionally threatened Canada, Mexico and China with heavy tasks ranging from February.
Macron and Scholz mentioned the metal, automotive and chemical industries — all of which might be hit by means of US price lists — and mentioned they had been necessary for the EU’s economic system.
Germany’s chancellor additionally emphasized the desire for greater Ecu cooperation on defence, mentioning Franco-German tasks to broaden longer-range precision guns.
In the meantime, France’s president mentioned Europe had to build up spending on its defence and in addition “broaden its personal business base, its personal capacities, its personal trade”.
Previous this month, Trump known as for NATO’s 32 member states to spend 5% in their GDP on defence, up from the present goal of two%, and mentioned Ecu allies had been falling brief.
Excluding the Trump management, business and tariff threats, Macron and Scholz additionally mentioned Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and Israel’s battle in Gaza.
Scholz and Macron are each in precarious positions of their respective international locations. The previous is polling badly forward of the German election set for 23 February, whilst the latter was once weakened by means of snap elections remaining 12 months that ended in a divided French parliament.
Further assets • AP