Steve Bannon
Senior adviser to the President of the United States Steve Bannon a week before his visit to Brussels Vice-President Mike Pence criticized the European Union during the meeting with the German Ambassador in Washington, Peter Vitigam. About it reports on Tuesday, 21 February, Reuters, citing informed sources.
‘bannon, according to interlocutors of Agency, called the EU the “design flawed” and expressed Washington’s desire to build relations with the EU member States on a bilateral basis.
One of the sources described the meeting as a signal that Germany and its European partners must be prepared to the policy of “hostility to the EU.” Another source, based on its contacts with the White house administration expressed concern over the fact that Washington does not want to Express appreciation to the EU for its role in “ensuring peace and prosperity in postwar Europe.”
The government of Germany himself, Peter Wittig declined to comment, citing the confidentiality of negotiations. White house spokesman confirmed the meeting but said that it lasted three minutes and was reduced to “greeting”. While the administration of President Donald trump said that a transcript of the conversation was not conducted. At the same time, Reuters sources said that the meeting demonstrated the willingness of trump to take “concrete steps destabilization” of the European Union.
20 Feb Mike Pence during his visit to Brussels has assured the high representative of the European Union for foreign Affairs and security policy Federica Mogherini that Washington will seek to further develop relations with the EU.
Previously, the concern with the policy of the White house was expressed by the foreign Minister of France Jean-Marc Ayrault. 18 February, he said that US attempts to divide Europe doomed to fail as Washington is unable to compensate for the benefits that EU offers to its members.