LOOKING FOR CLUES ABOUT PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP ? THEN GO AND REQUEST A MEETING WITH HIM IN PERSON

European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker sent US President-Elect Donald Trump a joint letter of congratulations, inviting him to visit Europe for a summit as soon as possible. Most likely, the EU's letter was the first invitation the President-Elect did receive from global leaders. But given the President-Elect leadership style it would have been far better for the both of them to fly to New York and request a meeting as the Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe cleverly did. First Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent sherpas to New York to organise the meeting with President-Elect Trump. The Japanese Prime Minister wanted to send a meaningful signal to President-Elect Trump and was keen on establishing high level personal ties and building trust. The meeting provided an opportunity to set the tone for the President-Elect’s relations with Japan and the region.  

In contrast, European leaders from the UK, Spain, Italy, France flew to Berlin to seek assurances from US President Obama on the course that President-Elect might take. That may have been OK  to bid goodbye to President Obama on his last trip to Europe. But in truth if anyone European leader looks for President-Elect Trump’s clues, the best thing is to meet with him in person and discuss matters with him in an open and transparent manner. Such a meeting would certainly achieve more than a mere invitation to visit Europe or a meeting in Berlin with a soon departing President.  

Whether or not President-Elect Trump accepts the EU invitation, he must fly to Italy in May and Germany in July next year to attend the G7 and G20 meetings, where EU leaders will get a better chance to seek a Brussels-Washington meeting.

In March 2017, the EU will hold an event in Rome to mark the 60th anniversary of the Rome Treaty, a founding pillar of the modern Europe project. Against the backdrop of Brexit, Brussels may invite Trump to the event, in order to gauge the level of his confidence in the future of European integration.

Taking these developments into consideration, the cross-Atlantic partnership may top Trump's foreign policy agenda after he enters the White House on Jan 20. It seems Brussels has taken the initiative to embrace the Trump era while its bureaucrats are busy adjusting themselves to the new political reality.

European commissioners, and ministers of trade, foreign affairs and defense have already included US president-elect Trump in their routine discussions. Brussels has many reasons to show such urgency. The EU wants to know more about him, as Tusk openly expressed concerns about the uncertainties the US election result will bring about for the EU.

When the EU approaches the Trump administration for early talks, it should put security and safety high on the priority list even though economic and trade agendas are essential.