european leaders have criticised President of the United States, Donald Trump, for his anti-European Union discourse and his executive order that bans citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States. The leaders of Europe's most powerful nations accused Trump of a lack of respect while Prime Minister Theresa May's attempts to build bridges with the new President were widely rejected.
EU/US relations 'could be in jeopardy'
French President, Francois Hollande, warned that Europe's relationship with the United States could be in jeopardy if 'this future isn't defined in common'.
Conversely, Theresa May, at a working lunch in Malta, pleaded with other European leaders to work 'constructively and patiently' with the new President in order to build bridges between Europe and America.
The European leader's comments in regard to Trump's disrespect for the European Union emanate from the President's likely pick as his ambassador to the European Union. Ted Malloch, the favourite to be giiven the role as ambassador, has likened his goal to bringing down the Soviet Union.
Wryly, Dalia Grybauskaitė, the Lithuanian president, stated: 'I don’t think we need a bridge [to America]. We communicate with Americans on Twitter'. German chancellor, Angela Merkel, said that she had yet to speak with Theresa May personally following the Prime Minister's visit to Washington, but claimed she was pleased Theresa May expressed her belief in a strong European Union.
However, a meeting between Merkel and May was cancelled at the last minute. A Number 10 spokesperson claimed May and Merkel had discussed all they needed to discuss on a 'cultural walk' in between meetings, which rendered the later discussion unnecessary.
However, a meeting between Merkel and May was cancelled at the last minute.
A Number 10 spokesperson claimed May and Merkel had discussed all they needed to discuss on a 'cultural walk' in between meetings, which rendered the later discussion unnecessary.
Merkel reiterated her discomfort on Donald Trump's executive order to ban Muslims from seven countries from entering the United States: 'We work on the basis of shared values.
Fighting terrorism is not something that could ever justify the stereotyping of a whole religion'.
Similarly, the Austrian chancellor, Christian Kern, said: ' President Trump’s ban on travellers from several Muslim-majority countries is highly problematic. Instead, we should be winning these countries as allies in order to combat the threat of international terrorism. We should be fighting in the corner with them.
