France's prime minister urged Europe to stand up to Trump
France and the European Union (EU) will be "crushed" by the policy of US President-elect Donald Trump if the Europeans do nothing. French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou said this on January 20 on the air of BFMTV.
"The United States has chosen an incredibly dominant policy with the dollar, industrial policy, attracting all the research and investment. <...> If we do nothing, we will be subjugated, crushed, marginalized," he said.
Thus, according to the politician, France and the EU will face a challenge at the international level in the form of Trump's policies once he takes office as head of state. At the same time, Bayrou called on the Europeans and France to "reunite" to address the threat from the United States.
Prior to this, on January 15, former Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl said that the future US president does not care about the European Union, which is currently in crisis. She expressed confidence that the politician is wise enough to focus on the problems of the United States after coming to power.
On January 14, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that it was necessary to closely observe the ways in which Trump would "make America even greater." He emphasized that the United States seeks to get rid of competitors in every sphere. Lavrov cited the destruction of the European Union's energy prosperity through undermining pipelines as an example.
Prior to that, in November 2024, The Washington Post reported that the trade duties that Trump is going to introduce could cause serious damage to the EU countries. It is specified that the major European economies at the current moment are already lagging behind the US as a result of the pandemic. According to economists, Trump's "protectionist measures" may cause further recession in Europe and complicate relations between allies.
The inauguration ceremony of the US president-elect will take place on January 20, 2025.
