US President Donald Trump has described the European Union as a "decaying" group of nations led by "weak" leaders, sparking concerns among EU officials about the state of their relationship with Washington.
In an interview published in Politico, Trump said he thinks European leaders are weak and that they're more concerned with being politically correct than taking effective action. He also criticized the EU's immigration policies, saying that accepting too many migrants is a disaster and that it's a major contributor to crime in countries like Sweden and Germany.
Trump praised Hungary and Poland for their track record on migration, but said that most European nations are failing in this regard. He also expressed skepticism about Europe's ability to contribute to the Ukraine peace talks, saying that if they can't stop talking and start producing results, the war will continue indefinitely.
The comments have sparked a mixed reaction from EU officials, with some expressing disappointment and frustration at Trump's words. However, others have welcomed the fact that he is willing to express his concerns about European issues.
In other news, Lithuania has declared a state of emergency over the wave of smuggler balloons crossing its borders from Belarus, which are causing disruptions to air traffic at Vilnius airport. The government has asked parliament to grant military powers to act in concert with police and border guards during the state of emergency.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy has thanked Pope Leo for his prayers and calls for a just peace, and reiterated his invitation for the pope to visit Ukraine.
In an interview published in Politico, Trump said he thinks European leaders are weak and that they're more concerned with being politically correct than taking effective action. He also criticized the EU's immigration policies, saying that accepting too many migrants is a disaster and that it's a major contributor to crime in countries like Sweden and Germany.
Trump praised Hungary and Poland for their track record on migration, but said that most European nations are failing in this regard. He also expressed skepticism about Europe's ability to contribute to the Ukraine peace talks, saying that if they can't stop talking and start producing results, the war will continue indefinitely.
The comments have sparked a mixed reaction from EU officials, with some expressing disappointment and frustration at Trump's words. However, others have welcomed the fact that he is willing to express his concerns about European issues.
In other news, Lithuania has declared a state of emergency over the wave of smuggler balloons crossing its borders from Belarus, which are causing disruptions to air traffic at Vilnius airport. The government has asked parliament to grant military powers to act in concert with police and border guards during the state of emergency.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy has thanked Pope Leo for his prayers and calls for a just peace, and reiterated his invitation for the pope to visit Ukraine.
so like EU leaders are already worried about Trump's comments, but at the same time some people in EU welcome him speaking up about these issues... 
it's like, good that he's expressing concerns, but also, not sure if his way of doing it is gonna help with relations between US and EU 
what's up with Hungary and Poland getting praised for their migration policies though? how does that work exactly? 
. I mean, what does he really know about European politics? He seems to be playing with fire by criticizing the EU's immigration policies, but it's just gonna create more tension between the US and Europe 
. And what's with this "decaying" business? Is he seriously saying that the entire EU is failing because of a few weak leaders? I don't buy it. Plus, isn't Poland already dealing with some pretty big migration issues themselves? 
[image of a balloon popping] US President says EU is "decaying", meanwhile 
is having a hot mess with smuggler balloons 
[gif of a person trying to pop balloons but failing]. Who's the real weak link here? 
. But at the same time, I feel like Trump's way of saying it is super harsh and hurtful 
. Like, can't he just say it without being so condescending? And what about those balloon incidents in Lithuania? 
That's a legit security issue right there! Shouldn't they get some help from the US on that one? 
because of weak leaders? 
. And migration policies? Forget about it, it's a disaster 
. But then he goes and praises Hungary & Poland for their track record on this stuff... 
According to the OECD, EU countries are projected to contribute around 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 
. That's not exactly 'weak' if you ask me 
.
.
? That's some serious impact on the economy 
.
politics can be so messy sometimes, and it's hard to know who to trust or what to believe.
. and wow, criticizing immigration policies in europe? that's super original coming from the guy who's made a career out of being 'tough on crime' 
. just hope trump doesn't expect anyone to actually take his advice 
️ it sounds like such a chaotic situation... hope everything gets sorted out soon 
It's not like they're all weak leaders or anything. And honestly, I don't think it's fair to bash the EU for their immigration policies when every country has its own problems with this stuff. Can't we focus on finding solutions together? 
.
.
I can imagine how upsetting it must be for EU officials to hear those harsh words from Trump 
... Like, who does he think he is? 
. And can we talk about the state of migration policies for a sec? 
... It's not like it's easy being an immigrant, you know? 
The EU is already dealing with so much drama, and then Trump comes along and calls them "weak" leaders? 
