There is “no plan” for Ursula von der Leyen to attend Donald Trump’s inauguration, the European Commission has confirmed.
Ursula von der Leyen has not obtained an invite to attend Donald Trump’s inauguration because the forty seventh president of the United States, however is in search of to ascertain “first contacts” with the brand new administration, the European Commission confirmed on Friday.
Von der Leyen, a staunch supporter of transatlantic relations, is at present recovering from extreme pneumonia in Hanover, Germany. As a outcome, the President of the Commission canceled all her exterior commitments for the primary half of January.
He is working from dwelling and hasn’t carried out so but delegated any duties.
“There is not any plan to attend the inauguration,” Paula Pinho, the fee’s chief spokeswoman, stated on Friday.
“We will search preliminary contacts with the longer term administration. Whether it will occur earlier than January 20 or instantly after, I can’t say for the second.”
Pinho didn’t specify what kind these “contacts” will take. Bloomberg earlier reported on the Commission’s intention to prepare a gathering with Trump in Florida.
Von der Leyen has not spoken to Trump since they spoke on the telephone in early November, a couple of days after the US presidential election, the spokesperson famous.
The dialog, which von der Leyen described as “wonderful,” touched on protection coverage, Russia’s conflict on Ukraine, commerce and power.
The head of the Commission later revealed it had confronted the potential for growing imports of American LNG into the EU, which was seen as a bid to keep away from the across-the-board tariffs that Trump has threatened to impose on international items.
Von der Leyen’s feedback made headlines and replicate the bloc’s willingness to accommodate republicans’ calls for to develop a workable relationship.
Those hopes dashed this week after Trump refused to rule out utilizing navy drive to beat Greenland, the huge island that belongs to the Kingdom of Denmark. “I do not know if Denmark has any authorized proper to this, but when it did, it ought to give it up as a result of we want it for nationwide safety,” he instructed an hour-long information convention.
His phrases have been rebuked by the prime ministers of Greenland and Denmark, in addition to the French authorities. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke of “disquiet” and burdened that “borders should not be moved by drive”.
The Commission, nevertheless, reacted with excessive warning and refused to explicitly condemn Trump’s navy threats towards the territorial integrity of a member state.
Greenland, in contrast to Denmark, will not be a part of the 27-country bloc, however enjoys a particular standing as an abroad territory that features entry to EU funds and freedom of motion for Greenlanders, who’re thought of EU residents.
It took two days for von der Leyen to publish an announcement in response to Trump’s remarks, made in coordination with European Council President António Costa.
ANNOUNCEMENT“The EU will at all times defend our residents and the integrity of our democracies and freedoms,” he stated on social media.
“We stay up for a optimistic engagement with the longer term US administration, primarily based on our frequent values and shared pursuits. In a troublesome world, Europe and the United States are stronger collectively.”
Trump’s return is coming enormous stakes for Brussels and your complete bloc, particularly relating to navy and monetary assist for Ukraine, which the billionaire has threatened to chop. Trump’s repeated promise to discover a fast answer to the conflict has stoked fears that Ukraine can be compelled into painful territorial concessions and depart Europe extra weak to future Russian aggression.
Furthermore, the president-elect has stepped up strain on NATO allies to dramatically improve their protection spending from 2% of GDP to five%, a determine that even the United States can’t meet.
ANNOUNCEMENTThe prospect of tariffs has additionally spooked EU capitals because it may worsen the bloc’s financial issues.
