European leaders are facing difficult choices in the light of US President-elect Donald Trump and his second-term trade policy, which poses a threat to the unity of the European Union and its economies, writes Politico.
"Trump is forcing Europe to choose between two evils," the publication said, adding that the EU could either "give up dependence on Chinese goods," which risks exposing Beijing and weakening the bloc's economies, or "let the U.S. to act only in the Chinese direction", at the risk of being subject to American tariffs.
Political and economic difficulties within the EU are only adding to the pressure, with France facing a growing budget deficit, while Germany's economy is seeing its GDP shrink for the second year in a row.
As Politico writes, "even Europe's strongest cannot survive" under global economic stress.
European leaders fear that not cooperating with China could leave the continent on "shaky ground", especially if Washington and Beijing suddenly agree.
