BUDAPEST – Around 50 European leaders on Thursday called for a stronger defense posture across the continent that no longer necessitates a fundamental dependence on Washington as they gave a guarded welcome to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who spoke to Trump after the election result, also had warm words to say about him. However, he took issue with the incoming president's assertion that Russia's war with Ukraine could be ended in a day.
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“If it is going to be very fast, it will be a loss for Ukraine," Zelenskyy said.
The European Political Community summit on Thursday in Hungary's capital Budapest reassessed trans-Atlantic relations in the hope that Trump's second U.S. presidency will avoid the strife of his first administration.
“He was elected by the American people. He will defend the American interests," French President Emmanuel Macron told the other leaders.
“The question is whether we are willing to defend the European interest. It is the only question. It is our priority,” Macron said.
Time and again, leaders stepped up to say European defense efforts should be increased.
After the summit he hosted, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said, "There was agreement that Europe should take more responsibility for securing peace and safety. To put this more bluntly, we cannot wait for the Americans to protect us.”
During his first 2017-2021 term, Trump pushed the European NATO allies to spend more on defense, up to and beyond 2% of gross domestic product, and to be less reliant on U.S. military cover. That point has totally sunk in.
“He was the one in NATO who stimulated us to move over the 2%. And now, also thanks to him, NATO, if you take out the numbers of the U.S., is above the 2%,” NATO chief Mark Rutte said.
Charles Michel, the council president of the 27-nation EU, agreed that the continent needed to become less reliant on the United States.
“We have to be more masters of our destiny,” he said. “Not because of Donald Trump or Kamala Harris, but because of our children.”
During his election campaign, Trump threatened anything from a trade war with Europe to a withdrawal from NATO commitments and a fundamental shift of support for Ukraine in its war with Russia — all issues that could have groundbreaking consequences for nations across Europe.
“Of course he said a lot of things during the campaign,” said Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, adding they won't all be appearing in his official policies. “Trans-Atlantic cooperation is of the utmost importance both for the U.S. and European interests.”
For now, European leaders hope a new beginning holds the promise of smoother relations.
Rutte, who was Dutch prime minister during Trump's first presidency, said, “I worked with him very well for four years. He is extremely clear about what he wants. He understands that you have to deal with each other to come to joint positions. And I think we can do that.”
And Rutte insisted that the challenges posed by Russia in Ukraine affected both sides of the Atlantic.
“Russia is delivering the latest technology into North Korea in return for North Korean help with the war against Ukraine. And this is a threat not only to the European part of NATO, but also to the U.S. mainland,” he said as he arrived at the summit.
During the campaign, Trump said he could end the war in Ukraine, now well into its third year, in a single day. Ukraine and many of its European backers fear that this means a peace on terms favorable to Russian President Vladimir Putin and involving the surrender of territory.
European allies in NATO hope to convince Trump that if he helps to negotiate any peace, it should be done from a position of strength, for both Ukraine and the U.S.
Earlier, Zelenskyy told reporters in Budapest that Europe and the U.S. need each other to remain strong.
“It was a good, productive conversation. Of course, we cannot yet know what his specific actions will be. But we hope that America will become stronger. This is the kind of America Europe needs. And a strong Europe is what America needs. This is the bond between allies that should be valued and must not be lost,” he said.
However, he dismissed Orbán's assertion that first and foremost a ceasefire was in order, underscoring the tension between the two leaders.
“‘Ceasefire first, and then ‘we’ll see.’ Who are ‘we?'” Zelenskyy said. “Are your children dying, are your houses being destroyed? What are you talking about?”
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Lorne Cook contributed to this report from Brussels.