Europe's leaders call for unity in time for Trump's America

The continent's rulers gather in Hungary to discuss migration and security but next US president and his agenda are focus of summit

European leaders pose for a group photo during the European Political Community Summit in Budapest, Hungary. AFP

European leaders urged unity in the face of the realities of a Donald Trump America as they gathered in Hungary to discuss the Middle East, Ukraine and migration.

Forty-seven leaders came together for a meeting of the recently introduced European Political Community at the Puskas Arena, named after the Hungarian-Spanish football player Ferenc Puskas of the Magical Magyars Hungarian national team of the 1950s.

The undertone was that of sticking together in the likelihood of new trade tariffs promised by a more protectionist Trump America, alongside fears for the unity of the Nato alliance.

Several present had experienced Mr Trump's relationship with Europe that was tense and rocky for much of his first term and his return to power brings great uncertainty.

Stay united

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said European Union had “to be united” and that no member on “their own can manage the upcoming challenges”.

“It is in all our interests that the autocrats of this world get a very clear message that is not the right of might, that the rule of law is important,” she added.

Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Luc Frieden sounded a defiant note, raising Mr Trump’s “unpredictability and degree of volatility” while promising that “we will seek dialogue but we will not give up our principles”.

Worries over tariffs – Mr Trump has vowed to put 10 per cent on imported goods – has raised fears of a global trade war, that could significantly affect Europe’s battered economy.

“It should not be allowed to happen,” said Finland’s Prime Minister Petteri Orpo. “Let's now try to influence the US and Trump's future policy so that he understands the risks involved.”

Spend more

But there were those who appeared in lockstep with Mr Trump’s criticism of Nato countries not paying their defence dues, with the alliance’s new Secretary General Mark Rutte stating countries “will have to spend more”.

With Hungary’s neighbour Ukraine still fighting the Russian invasion, he said that spending needed to be “much more” than the two per cent minimum of gross domestic product agreed by Nato members.

This was a direct acknowledgement of Mr Trump’s demand for European allies to shoulder greater defence responsibilities after he previously told them to spend 4 per cent of GDP, a goal some Eastern European countries have embraced given Russia’s aggression.

Mr Rutte also expressed an eagerness to work with Mr Trump to “tackle shared threats” together.

He said that Russia's partnership with North Korea, which involves more than 10,000 North Korean troops in Ukraine, was “a threat, not only to the European part of Nato, but also to the US”.

‘Predators demand more’

In an indirect dig at Mr Trump, who promised to end the Ukraine war in “one day” once in office, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said that it would be “suicide for all Europe” if territorial concessions were made to Russia.

This would be unacceptable for Ukraine, he said, stating that “peace is a reward only for the strong” and that “unity is important for strength”.

But he added, following a conversation on Wednesday with the president-elect, that while no one knew “what his [Mr Trump's] specific actions will be” he hoped that “America will become stronger”.

“We are open to any constructive ideas to achieve a just peace for our country but it is up to Ukraine to decide what should and should not be on the agenda for ending this war.”

He said that European leaders should understand “that predators always demand more and more”.

“I trust the American society,” said European Council chief Charles Michel, as he and others urged Mr Trump to continue supporting Ukraine. “They know it is in their interest to show firmness when we engage with authoritarian regimes. If the United States were weak with Russia, what would it mean for China?”

Migration unity

Host Victor Orban, Hungary’s Prime Minister, led calls for a crackdown on illegal migration which he said had been caused by instability in North Africa and the Middle East.

He agreed with Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer who called for “a major upgrade in international co-operation” to dismantle human trafficking gangs.

Britain will use the two-day summit to sign agreements with Serbia, North Macedonia and Kosovo increasing intelligence-sharing and co-operation in order to “break” the gangs.

But adding to the uncertainty hanging over the Budapest gatherings, Germany's three-party coalition government broke apart on Wednesday evening as Chancellor Olaf Scholz sacked his finance minister, paving the way for a general election.

“One thing is for sure, Europe is not strong without a strong Germany,” said European Parliament President Roberta Metsola.