President of the European Council Charles Michel. Photo :illustrative
European Council President Charles Michel has called on EU countries not to depend on the US election, stressing the importance of Europe’s independent position on the world stage. “There are differences between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, that’s obvious,” he said in an interview with European Newsroom. “But will this affect the relationship in a fundamental way in the medium to long term?”
Michel pointed out that the United States, regardless of its leadership, maintains a protectionist economic policy. He urged Europeans to get rid of the fear of dependence on the future US president. “I don’t want my children to depend on who will be the next president of the United States, China or Russia. I want them to control their own destiny, because in Europe we have to determine our own future,” he said.
Summing up his five-year term as President of the European Council, Charles Michel regretted that Europe had failed to play a stronger role in the Middle East. He stressed that the EU is a key economic partner for both Israel and Palestine and called for a more ambitious policy to ensure stability in the region.
