Emmanuel Macron warns against ‘new imperialism’ in stinging rebuke of Donald Trump
London: Following the deepening debate on the transatlantic alliance, French President Emmanuel Macron issued a harsh response to US President Donald Trump, warning against “new imperialism” and declaring that Europe will not bow to tyrants.
Macron said the European Union “should not hesitate” to impose sweeping trade sanctions against the United States in the dispute over Greenland, while other leaders condemned Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on eight countries that do not recognize his claim to the Arctic territory.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who joined European leaders against Trump on the issue, warned that the “rules-based order” was over and called for middle powers to negotiate together to resist pressure from great powers.
The comments at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland came as Trump was on his way to a meeting in the resort town of Davos to give a speech on Wednesday, hours after he announced on social media that he would not back down on his plan to annex Greenland to the United States.
There is an escalating trade conflict. Europe is preparing to retaliate against US tariffs and the NATO alliance is being reshaped as Trump uses economic threats against allies such as Britain, Finland, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands and Denmark, a kingdom that includes Greenland.
“Now is not the time for new imperialism or neo-colonialism,” Macron said in his speech to the forum.
The French president, who wears aviator sunglasses due to his eye condition, listed the world’s three priorities as growth, peace and response to climate change, and said the world should not waste time on “crazy” ideas.
“This is a time of collaboration to solve these three global challenges for our citizens,” he said.
“We choose respect for tyrants. And we choose the rule of law over brutality.”
Macron did not name Trump in his speech, but his remarks left no doubt that he wants other members of the European Union to agree on tough sanctions against the United States if the White House continues to impose tariffs.
European leaders are expected to talk to Trump at the Davos meeting, but they also plan to hold a meeting in Brussels on Thursday to discuss a joint response to the threat of US tariffs on all exports of 10 percent from February 1, rising to 25 percent from June 1.
Macron has supported the use of a powerful mechanism within the EU known as the “anti-repression instrument” because it allows the use of tariffs, investment controls and other policy decisions against a country that threatens pressure against the EU.
This could lead to tariffs worth €93 billion ($162 billion) on US exports to Europe, although the extent depends on negotiation. In the media, the mechanism was called “trading bazooka”.
Macron spoke hours after Trump revealed a private text message from the French president.
“I don’t understand what you are doing in Greenland,” Macron said in the message published on Trump’s Truth Social site.
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever took a similar stance to Macron, in a sign of support for a decisive response within the EU on trade and Greenland.
De Wever told the forum: “It’s one thing to be a happy slave, it’s another thing to be a miserable slave.”
“If you back down now, you will lose your honor.”
Trump stuck to his plans on social media in a post last year about his agreements with NATO, which included commitments from European members to increase defense spending.
“No person or President has done more for NATO than President Donald J. Trump,” he shared.
“If I hadn’t come, there wouldn’t be NATO right now!!!”
Macron also made his speech to encourage wealthy global investors, Davos’ main audience, to back Europe because of the unpredictability of the others, though he did not name the United States.
“We have a place where the rule of law and predictability are still the rule of the game. And my guess is that they are massively underpriced by the market,” he said.
with wires
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