EU leaders urge delay on US decisions to ease NATO summit tension
The governments of EU countries are urging the European Commission to delay any decisions regarding the USA until June, including the imposition of retaliatory tariffs, to avoid conflict with US President Donald Trump at the NATO summit in The Hague, reported the "Financial Times" on Thursday.
Diplomats and officials informed the British newspaper that EU governments are advising the European Commission to refrain from provoking the White House in the lead-up to the Alliance summit in The Hague, scheduled for June 24 and 25.
These recommendations include avoiding public discussions about American trade policy and refraining from criticizing the US approach to Ukraine or American statements regarding the annexation of Greenland.
According to the "FT", European leaders have also consulted with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on how to placate the US president during the summit and have urged Rutte to keep the June meeting's agenda as minimal as possible.
Uncertainty before the meeting
A high-ranking EU official, quoted by the newspaper, noted that there is significant nervousness ahead of the meeting in The Hague.
He emphasized that the prevailing approach is to do everything possible to bring Trump to the meeting, tell him what he wants to hear, and ensure he leaves without any major incident.
According to the newspaper, many European leaders are apprehensive of a repeat of the 2018 NATO summit when Trump dominated the second day of talks and threatened to withdraw the USA from the Alliance.
While the EU and NATO are separate organizations, 23 European countries are members of both. Additionally, Rutte is known to maintain close professional ties with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, noted the "FT."
