European leaders express alarm at US relations, comparing current situation to the 1938 Munich Agreement as they prepare for potential trade retaliation.
EU Critically Assesses US Role
The EU has reached a difficult conclusion: Americans are now the “bad guys,” according to Politico, based on talks with nine EU diplomats from countries with different historical experiences with the United States. A sense of anxiety and skepticism remains in European capitals.
“I think Munich is already behind us,” one Politico source indicated, referring to the 1938 meeting where Britain, France and Italy allowed Adolf Hitler to annex Czechoslovakia. “We realize that concessions are no longer the right policy,” they added.
“The American Dream Is Dead”
Politico’s sources feel personally betrayed, having worked and studied in the US. They now say, “Our American dream is dead. Donald Trump murdered it.” Brussels is preparing its most powerful retaliatory tool in response to potential Trump tariffs on countries supporting Greenland.
Emergency Brussels Summit in Response to Trump Threats
An extraordinary EU summit was planned for January 22 in Brussels in response to Trump’s threats of additional tariffs on countries supporting Greenland. EU diplomats cautiously reacted to Trump’s withdrawal of tariff threats, noting tensions remain, that policy cannot be based on social media posts, and the problem may return.
Trade Agreement with Mercosur
Relations between the EU and US are the main topic of the summit, but the trade agreement with Mercosur countries will also be addressed. On Wednesday, the European Parliament sent the document to the EU Court of Justice and suspended ratification of the agreement.
