A chasm is opening up between the EU and a Trump-led US
EU leaders arrive for a summit in Malta and top of the agenda are how to deal with Donald Trump, refugees, Brexit — and how to stand up for ‘European values’
Valletta — The EU often struggles to conceal its splits, but they are nothing compared to the chasm opening up in its relations with the US. With US President Donald Trump forecasting the unraveling of the EU, sowing division between member states and cheerleading for Brexit, EU leaders arrive in Valletta, Malta, at their first summit since Trump unleashed his inaugural whirlwind, more exposed than ever. The superpower which, until now, has bought their goods, paid for their security and ratified their values has suddenly become an uncertain partner. "Europe has its own destiny in its hands," German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday. "The clearer we are, how we define our role in the world, the better we can maintain our transatlantic relationship." In response to Trump, EU president Donald Tusk is calling for an extraordinary show of unity. In a letter to the bloc’s leaders this week, Tusk ranked Trump’s broadsides alongside Russian aggression, an assertive China and radical ...
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