May warned over Donald Trump at EU summit
The PM holds talks with EU leaders in Malta to try to build Brexit relationships but is warned she must choose: Europe or Trump.
Friday 3 February 2017 15:22, UK
Theresa May is hoping to use talks to convince EU leaders the UK will remain a "reliable partner" but has been warned about her closeness to Donald Trump.
The Prime Minister was holding talks with European leaders including Angela Merkel, Spain's Mariano Rajoy and Austria's Christian Kern at the EU Presidency Summit in Malta in an attempt to build Brexit relationships.
But EU leaders were keen on shaping a united response to the US President and Mr Kern said: "... the tangible aspects of Mr Trump's policies are raising some concerns.
"It's not a threat, it could be a catalyst for a strong, more united Europe.
"It is an alarm call to see if we are on the right track."
Mrs May will attend only attend part of the EU Presidency Summit in Valletta but will not be present when the rest of the leaders discuss Brexit.
Mrs May arrived in Valletta with the message that Europe must increase its defence spending to meet NATO limits, following her talks with the US President.
But her closeness to Mr Trump has earned warnings from other leaders, including the Maltese Prime Minister, Joseph Muscat.
Mr Muscat told Sky News that Theresa May must choose her priorities well when deciding whether Britain's future lies with the United States or Europe.
He joined a chorus of European criticism of the new US President.
Mr Muscat also suggested the EU had not yet decided whether to open future trade negotiations with Britain alongside exit talks after Article 50 is triggered next month.
Mr Muscat said: "I do believe the UK is in a very delicate situation, right now. It is fetching a free trade deal with Europe and eventually the United States.
"In both trade deals it will be the junior partner because the UK is much larger than most European states, but it is smaller than Europe as a whole and smaller than the United States as a whole.
"I think it is a balancing job the Prime Minister must make. I will not judge her on the choices she makes.
"But it is pretty clear she needs to choose her priorities well."
Of President Donald Trump's apparent disdain of the European Union, Mr Muscat said: "If this is a natural reversal of US policy towards Europe, this is a big, big challenge for Europe.
"Until we get the next tweet, we don't know where this is going.
"And that is the problem of it all, it is not the policy as such, that one can agree or disagree.
"In case of the banning people from several countries it is heavy handed and I disagree with that.
"In my books the biggest concern is the unpredictability of it all, and in an uncertain world we need to be able to predict the actions of friends."
His concerns were shared by the Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite arriving at the summit, who, in response to Mrs May's attempt to be a "bridge" between the US and the EU, said: "I don't think there is a necessity for a bridge... we communicate with the Americans on Twitter."
The Maltese criticism joins more vocal attacks from EU Council President Donald Tusk who suggested Mr Trump posed as big a threat to the EU as an aggressive Russia, assertive China and Middle East instability.
Earlier this week Gianni Pittella, Europe's socialist leader, to destroy the European Union.
Brexit is not officially part of the agenda, but it is likely to feature in side talks.
Mr Muscat said he was favourable to a fair deal for the UK. He said the UK would have to pay an "exit fee", but would not be drawn on how much.
He also made clear a lot of work remained on what he called the "divorce process".