Faced with the return of Trump, Europe called to write its history

(Keystone-ATS) “We have demonstrated that Europe can take its destiny into its own hands when it is united,” insisted the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

“This is a moment in history, for us Europeans, which is decisive,” said Emmanuel Macron. “Basically, the question posed to us, do we want to read History written by others – the wars launched by Vladimir Putin, the American elections, the choices made by the Chinese – or do we want to write History? »

Coincidentally with the upheavals of politics within the 27, the French president made these declarations in the absence of the leader of the other heavyweight of the European bloc: Germany. Faced with the breakup of his coalition, Chancellor Olaf Scholz was not present in Budapest for this summit of the European Political Community (EPC).

Zelensky on the front line

Notably, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who on Wednesday welcomed the “brilliant success” of his “friend” Donald Trump, opted for a resolutely sober tone at the opening of “his” summit, organized in the flamboyant Puskas stadium. Arena, named after the legendary football player Ferenc Puskas.

The day after a spectacular political comeback that stunned America and the world, around forty heads of state and government gathered in the Hungarian capital for this “CPE” summit, before a smaller conclave with only the 27 members of the EU on Friday.

For Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whose country fears a drop in aid from Washington, the posture of the American billionaire should not weaken the links between the United States and Europe.

“We hope that America will become stronger. This is the kind of America Europe needs. And a strong Europe is what America needs. It is the link between the allies which must be valued and which must not be lost,” he insisted Thursday to European leaders.

Any concession on Ukraine to Vladimir Putin would be “unacceptable” for kyiv and “suicidal” for Europe, he insisted.

“Not prepared for such a scenario”

Becoming support for Ukraine, threat of military disengagement, return of customs duties, environmental issues: the upcoming arrival in Washington of the unpredictable businessman, four years after the end of his first mandate, place the EU and the countries close to it face dizzying challenges.

“The Europeans really have the knife to their throats,” summarizes Sébastien Maillard, of the Jacques Delors Institute. “The result of this election forces the EU to open its eyes. Perhaps it is in situations like these that things can be done.”

Despite repeated calls in recent months for greater European strategic autonomy, the bloc seems caught off guard in the face of a second term that it hoped would be avoidable.

“To put it bluntly, I don’t think they really prepared for such a scenario,” summarizes Guntram Wolff of the Bruegel think tank. “There is no elaborate plan on the way forward, either at the European level or at the Franco-German level. »

In economic matters, faced with the announced “shock of customs duties”, the danger is that everyone will make their trip to Washington.

« Mini-Chine »

Donald Trump, who during his electoral campaign compares the EU to a “mini-China” abusing its American ally by accumulating massive trade surpluses, says he wants to increase customs duties on all products entering the United States.

The objective of the CPE, initially imagined by Emmanuel Macron, is to bring together much broader than the European Union. Beyond the 27 members of the bloc, around twenty countries were invited, countries with radically different trajectories vis-à-vis the EU: declared (and impatient) candidates for membership, countries which know that the door is closed to them for a long time and the United Kingdom, which has chosen to leave it with a bang.