After Trump's victory

Juncker warns Orbán against going it alone politically

Jean-Claude Juncker negotiated with Donald Trump during his term as EU Commission President in order to avert a trade war and is now warning against individual EU states going it alone politically.

(Bild: www.viennareport.at)

The outcome of the US presidential election and how the EU deals with it is likely to be the dominant topic when Europe's top politicians meet in the Hungarian capital Budapest on Thursday and Friday. Host Viktor Orbán is a supporter of the next US President Donald Trump and claims that the latter called him himself after his triumph. Meanwhile, former EU Commissioner Jean-Claude Juncker has warned the government in Budapest against going it alone politically. In connection with Trump, Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer emphasized that the "primary goal" must be to avoid an economic war.

"One thing must be made clear to those who leave the common path: they alone only supposedly count in the relationship with the USA, despite all the tenderness exchanged," Juncker said in an interview with the Table.Briefings portal according to information from Thursday. In order to meet the future US President on an equal footing, the Europeans would have to make it clear to him "that the European Union is not just a bunch of member states thrown together, but a consolidated European entity", Juncker reminded the audience. The former Commission President had negotiated intensively with Trump during his first term in office in order to prevent a trade war. 

Trump has a sometimes distorted view of the EU. "But he is not deaf if you present European arguments rationally and at the same time point out that European concerns are also partly American concerns," said Juncker.

Orbán and Trump talked about "big plans"
Orbán, who has repeatedly been at loggerheads with Brussels over accusations of restricting democracy and the rule of law, is an avowed Trump supporter. He had bet on a Trump victory and was one of the first to congratulate the future US president on his election on Facebook on Wednesday. According to the Hungarian head of government, a telephone conversation also took place a short time later. "Big plans" are said to have been discussed. Orbán did not reveal any further details. 

Orbán and Trump set themselves the goal of "deepening cooperation" between their countries years ago.

(Bild: AP)

On Thursday, the 47 member states of the European Political Community (EPC) will meet first in Budapest's Puskás Arena. The EPC was established after the start of the war in Ukraine and brings together the heads of state and government of the 27 EU member states as well as the leaders of Ukraine, Turkey, Great Britain and Azerbaijan, among others. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić are therefore expected to attend the meeting.

The Ukrainian head of state Volodymyr Selenskyj is also expected in Budapest.

(Bild: AFP)

Nehammer to chair meeting on migration
The topic of migration will play a central role at the meeting, the Federal Chancellery told APA ahead of the meeting. Chancellor Nehammer is to chair the roundtable on this topic. "We have to decide who comes to Europe - not the smugglers. To do this, we need help and development on the ground and in the region, robust and effective external border protection, intensive cooperation in the fight against smuggling and innovative solutions outside of the migration pact, such as asylum procedures and returns to safe third countries. In addition, returns must be accelerated and we must also get involved in deportations to Syria and Afghanistan," Nehammer was quoted as saying. 

Nehammer: "Need intensive negotiations with the USA"
Commenting on the election result in the USA, Nehammer said: "We must do everything we can to strengthen relations with the USA. The United States is the second most important export country for Austria." "Intensive negotiations" are needed with the next US administration - also with regard to support for Ukraine. We must "talk to each other" and await the first steps of the Trump administration, said the Chancellor. Nehammer declared the "primary goal" to be the prevention of an economic war.

Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer will chair a round table on migration.

(Bild: APA/AFP/Ludovic MARIN)

The informal EU summit itself will begin at 8 p.m. with a working dinner in the Hungarian parliament. The main topic will be Trump's election as future US President and its consequences. On Friday, the EU heads of government then want to adopt a declaration for a "New European Competitiveness Deal".