Leaders from across the continent have welcomed Trump’s return to office as the 47th president of the United States.
Europe’s leaders welcomed President Donald Trump back to the White House yesterday after he was inaugurated as the 47th president of the United States.
From across the pond, heads of state and heads of government issued messages of congratulations as the returning president celebrated his political comeback with a ceremony and ball in Washington.
Speaking for the European Union, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen
took to social media platform X to send the organization’s “best wishes” to Trump.
“The EU looks forward to working closely with you to tackle global challenges,” she wrote. ‘Together, our societies can achieve greater prosperity and strengthen their common security. This is the enduring strength of the transatlantic partnership.”
The head of the bloc’s largest economy, German Chancellor
Olaf Scholz, also congratulated the new president, saying, “The U.S. is our closest ally and the aim of our policy is always a good transatlantic relationship.”
Italy’s
Giorgia Meloni, who was in Washington for the inauguration, said, “I am certain that the friendship between our Nations and the values that unite us will continue to strengthen the collaboration between Italy and the USA, facing global challenges together and building a future of prosperity and security for our peoples.”
Outside the EU, British Prime Minister Sir
Keir Starmer also congratulated Trump in a video message.
“For centuries, the relationship between our two nations has been one of collaboration, cooperation, and enduring partnership. It is a uniquely close bond,” he said.
“With President Trump’s longstanding affection and historical ties to the United Kingdom, I know that depth of friendship will continue.”
France’s Emmanuel Macron used Trump’s inauguration to urge Europe to use the billions of euros of taxpayer money spent on Europe’s military budgets not only to buy American weapons.
In a New Year address to military top brass on Monday, the French president said, “When we say ‘let’s spend more for our armies’, in many countries it means, way too often, ’buy more American materiel.'”
He also called for more joint European weapons development, even without French companies necessarily taking the lead.
“We won’t always be the European champions. But at least we'll be sure the European champions have a global reach,” he said.
Longtime Trump ally and Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban congratulated the U.S. president on his return to office.
Orban, who has been a thorn in the side of the EU for some years now with his anti-migration stance and more ambivalent approach toward Russia, added in his
post on X: “Now it’s our turn to shine! It’s our turn to occupy Brussels!”
Further to the east, the warring leaders of Russia and Ukraine, too, congratulated Trump on his return to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
From Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a meeting of Russia’s Security Council that was shown on state TV: “We see the statements by the newly elected president of the United States and members of his team about the desire to restore direct contacts with Russia.
“We also hear his statement about the need to do everything possible to prevent World War Three. We of course welcome this attitude and congratulate the elected president of the United States of America on taking office.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has been trying to convince Trump to continue U.S. military assistance to Kyiv, said, “President Trump is always decisive, and the peace through strength policy he announced provides an opportunity to strengthen American leadership and achieve a long-term and just peace, which is the top priority.”
Trump has said he is open to dialogue with both Moscow and Kyiv and has vowed to end the war in Ukraine within six months of taking office, saying he believes both Putin and Zelenskyy are open to a deal to halt hostilities.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
