The discussions continued in the AFET Committee regarding to the main feature in the ‘’America First’’ policy, which is the development of American nationalism and the non-interventionism. This means that the state’s ties with other nations, and the EU in particular, will be strictly limited to trade and diplomacy. The US withdrawal from international organizations, accords and agreements of major international significance, such as the recall of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) or the Paris Agreement, was the main topic of the session. The MEPs did not applaud Trump’s policy and strongly claimed that challenges such as the violation of the human rights or the climate change should be addressed universally. Many members stated that the US is losing its credibility and its policy is turning into isolation.
A crisis then followed, when the EU’s in-depth trade plans, based on human rights, with Iran leaked and Donald Trump issued threats towards the EU: ‘Either with US or with Iran’. However, all MEPs unanimously stated that the EU has always cooperated with other states besides the US and as the highest diplomatic organ ever made, it should stick to its independency and not be blackmailed by Trump’s threats. In Mrs. Chatziantoniou (ECR- Romania) words: ‘ Our first goal is our citizens’ safety and security. That is why we should negotiate with the US in a diplomatic and delicate way, using soft power, and also remind Mr. Trump that there exist other, more important, problems that should be concerned’. Furthermore, owing to the fact that this development lies on humanitarian purposes, as Mrs. Sideris (EPP – Czech Republic) noted: ‘We must be consistent to our values. The EU should not be afraid of Trump’s threat but continue cooperation with Iran, as the EU-US trade relations are the biggest for both partners, and as such they cannot be replaced either for the EU or the US. Don’t forget that they also need us’’.
Oxana Senja, Journalist of AFET, EU Focus
