Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said he rejects the remarks by US President Donald Trump, who labelled the European Union “weak” and accused its members of allowing Ukraine to fight “until they drop”.
Mr Trump made the remarks in an interview with Politico, where he also claimed that “decaying” European states had not succeeded in managing migration, reports RTE.
Speaking in Dublin today, the Taoiseach stated: “Europe is strong, not weak.”
He noted that “new challenges” had arisen regarding defence and security, but said he remained “confident” they would be addressed, reports RTE.
The Taoiseach further said that the EU was among the “strongest in the world” in terms of trade, adding that the recent agreement with the US acknowledged that strength.
He said the EU’s handling of the Covid-19 crisis offered another demonstration of its resilience, reports RTE.
European Council President Antonio Costa said the EU and the US were allies and that Washington should not “interfere” in the bloc’s internal affairs.
He said: “Allies must act as allies”, reports RTE.
Mr Trump’s latest criticism followed alarm caused by his administration’s new national security strategy, which called for fostering “resistance” within the EU to liberal migration policies.
Asked whether European states would remain US allies if they did not adopt his administration’s stance on migration, Mr Trump answered that “it depends”, reports RTE.
“I think they’re weak, but they also want to be so politically correct,” Mr Trump said, listing countries such as Britain, France, Germany, Poland and Sweden which he claimed were being “destroyed” by migration, before renewing his attack on what he called the “horrible, vicious, disgusting” Sadiq Khan, London’s first Muslim mayor.
Mr Trump also dismissed the fact that the Kremlin had praised the US national security strategy as aligning with its own views, saying: “I think he [Putin] would like to see a weak Europe, and to be honest with you, he’s getting that. That has nothing to do with me”, reports RTE.
Mr Trump further criticised Europe’s efforts to help end the war between Russia and Ukraine, saying: “They talk but they don’t produce. And the war just keeps going on and on.”
Mr Costa said EU leaders were “very close” to agreeing on a plan to use billions of euro in frozen Russian assets to help finance Ukraine’s war needs for the next two years, reports RTE.
Although Belgium has raised concerns over potential legal and financial exposure it might face alone, Mr Costa said negotiators were “working hard” to reach a deal.
He said the European Commission was doing a “very good” job and that they were “fine tuning” a legally and technically sound proposal that would secure approval through a qualified majority vote, reports RTE.
EU leaders are expected to make a decision on the proposal next week in Brussels.
The Taoiseach said the EU “must continue to increase the pressure” on Russia until it halts its “unjustifiable war” against Ukraine, adding that financial backing was part of that effort, reports RTE.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen aims to provide €90bn toward Ukraine’s 2026–27 budget needs, which the International Monetary Fund estimates at €137bn.
Moscow has condemned the reparations-linked loan proposal as “theft”, reports RTE.
Fianna Fáil’s review of its presidential campaign, which ended disastrously for the party, is to be released “before Christmas” according to the Taoiseach.
When asked if that might happen ahead of tomorrow’s Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting, the Taoiseach repeated that the document would be published before Christmas, reports RTE.
Mr Martin will travel to Brussels for an EU leaders’ meeting on Wednesday 17 December.
The parliamentary party gathering could take place earlier that day or be moved to Tuesday 16 December, reports RTE.
The Dáil will adjourn on Thursday 18 December for its Christmas recess.
The Dáil rises on Thursday 18 December for its Christmas break, reports RTE.
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