“If we have to talk to the American administration, we have to speak standing up, not lying down,” says Nathalie Loiseau, Renew Europe MEP.

For the former Minister of European Affairs (2017-2019), the European Union must absolutely be united and firm in the face of the Trump administration.

“It's necessary” that the European Union is ready to engage in a standoff with the United States, believes Nathalie Loiseau, Renew Europe (RE) MEP, responsible for international issues, guest of franceinfo evening, Friday January 24.

“If you have to talk to the American administration, you have to talk standing up, not lying down,” considers the MEP, while Donald Trump, who has just been inaugurated president in the United States, has attacked the European Union several times. In particular, he renewed his threats to impose customs duties on European products. For Nathalie Loiseau, the European Union must remain firm. “You don’t come into a negotiation with someone like Trump and say, ‘here are the concessions we’re willing to make,’ before you enter the room.”

However, according to the MEP, this is not a “arm wrestling for the sake of arm wrestling”, “the goal is simply to assert ourselves, to be respected, to show that there are 450 million of us, that our opinion counts, that our laws count”. Nathalie Loiseau affirms that the EU will be able to be united.