EU urged to avoid conflicts with Trump to avoid disrupting NATO summit in June - FT
EU member states are calling on Brussels to refrain from any measures in response to Donald Trump's tariffs and to avoid any conflicts with him before the NATO summit in June. Anything to avoid disrupting the event.
This is reported by the Financial Times, Censor.NET reports.
Thus, diplomats and government officials told reporters that governments are calling for the suspension of any important decisions regarding the United States until the results of the NATO meeting in The Hague in June are known.
At the same time, NATO officials are also being urged to keep the summit as short as possible to minimize the possibility of conflicts with Trump. There is great uncertainty about what the US leader might do at the summit.
"Along with intense talks between key European leaders and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on how to appease Trump at the June 24-25 meeting, capitals are also urging the European Commission to avoid a confrontation with the White House on the eve," the article says.
Officials said that this includes avoiding provocative public discussions about trade sanctions in response to Trump's tariffs, delaying arms procurement decisions that involve choosing between European and American options, and avoiding criticism of the US approach to Ukraine and rhetoric about the annexation of Greenland.
"There is a lot of nervousness in the run-up to the Hague meeting, and the general consensus is to do everything possible to get (Trump) there, tell him what he wants to hear, and get him out without any disasters," said one EU official.
"We need to develop a credible plan for an orderly transfer of (defense) responsibility (from the US to Europe). This is the single most important priority... above all else," the NATO official added.
US officials have told NATO allies that Trump plans to attend the summit, but may decide to cancel the visit if other member states do not approve a preliminary agreement to increase defense spending and take more responsibility for the defense of Europe.
According to the newspaper, the Alliance is preparing a detailed study of the current capabilities of NATO members to prepare discussions about Europe's dependence on the United States and how to reduce it and in what time frame.
European officials unofficially estimate that with average defense spending approaching 4% and a plan agreed with the US to build up European forces, a five- to ten-year timeframe is realistic.
