Europe’s leaders welcomed President Donald Trump back to the White House yesterday after he was inaugurated as the 47th president of the United States.
From across the pond, heads of state and heads of government issued messages of congratulations as the returning president celebrated his political comeback with a ceremony and ball in Washington.
“The EU looks forward to working closely with you to tackle global challenges,” she wrote. ‘Together, our societies can achieve greater prosperity and strengthen their common security. This is the enduring strength of the transatlantic partnership.”
“For centuries, the relationship between our two nations has been one of collaboration, cooperation, and enduring partnership. It is a uniquely close bond,” he said.
“With President Trump’s longstanding affection and historical ties to the United Kingdom, I know that depth of friendship will continue.”
France’s Emmanuel Macron used Trump’s inauguration to urge Europe to use the billions of euros of taxpayer money spent on Europe’s military budgets not only to buy American weapons.
In a New Year address to military top brass on Monday, the French president said, “When we say ‘let’s spend more for our armies’, in many countries it means, way too often, ’buy more American materiel.'”
He also called for more joint European weapons development, even without French companies necessarily taking the lead.
“We won’t always be the European champions. But at least we'll be sure the European champions have a global reach,” he said.
Longtime Trump ally and Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban congratulated the U.S. president on his return to office.
Further to the east, the warring leaders of Russia and Ukraine, too, congratulated Trump on his return to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Trump has said he is open to dialogue with both Moscow and Kyiv and has vowed to end the war in Ukraine within six months of taking office, saying he believes both Putin and Zelenskyy are open to a deal to halt hostilities.
