Webinar | Trump’s return: European unity put to the test

The US elections on 5 November resulted in an unexpected and undisputed victory for Donald Trump. Now holding all the power – both houses of Congress, the Supreme Court and the presidency – he has all the leeway he needs to pursue his radical policies.

Trump says he wants to bring peace to the world. He claims he can reach an agreement in Ukraine within 24 hours, wants to pull out of the climate deal he thinks hurts the US economy, and plans to get tougher with countries he thinks are taking advantage of the US. This is the case with China and Mexico, but also with the European Union.

In this context, Europeans will face major challenges in the very short term. The first concerns the war in Ukraine, as Trump wants to reduce or even cut off US funding. What will the Europeans’ attitude be? Will they be able to take over and support the Ukrainians on their own? What will security be like in Ukraine and Europe?

The second challenge concerns trade between the United States and Europe. Trump is threatening to launch a trade war, notably by imposing tariffs on European products, particularly German cars. The European economy is faltering, growth has been sluggish for three years, and Germany is even in recession. Europeans will have to make crucial decisions in the face of American aggression, but also and above all to revive economic momentum. They will have to invest in an ambitious and innovative European project, as recommended in reports published by Enrico Letta and Mario Draghi. Will they do so?

Finally, the confrontation between China and the United States will remain a defining feature of the coming years. American and European interests in this area are different, and at the same time, Europe could be the first victim of this clash. How will Europeans position themselves?

To discuss this issue:

• Daniela Schwarzer, German political scientist and member of the Bertelsmann Foundation’s Executive Board
• Pascal Lamy, Coordinator of the Jacques Delors Think Tank Network (Paris, Berlin, Brussels)
• Nicole Gnesotto, Professor Emeritus at the CNAM, Vice-President of the Jacques Delors Institute
• Moderator: Sylvie Matelly, Director of the Jacques Delors Institute

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