EU, US at odds on Russia

By Ayhan Simsek

BRUSSELS

U.S. President Donald Trump and leaders of the main EU institutions were unable to reach an agreement on Russia policy after their talks in Brussels on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Trump, EU Council President Donald Tusk said while they agreed on many areas, especially on counter-terrorism, they could not iron out differences on policy towards Russia.

"I am not 100 percent sure that we can say today -- we meaning Mr. President Trump and myself -- that we have a common opinion about Russia, although when it comes to the conflict in Ukraine, it seems that we were on the same line,” he told reporters after the meeting.

The disagreement comes amid multiple official investigations in Washington into alleged collusion last year between the Trump campaign and Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election.

Tusk did not give details of the disagreement, but underlined the importance of defending Western values and human rights.

"My main message to President Trump was that what gives our cooperation and friendship its deepest meaning are fundamental Western values, like freedom, human rights, and respect for human dignity,” he said.

"The greatest task today is the consolidation of the whole free world around those values, and not just interests. Values and principles first -- this is what we, Europe and America, should be saying,” he added.

Tusk also acknowledged differences between the EU and the U.S. administration on trade issues and climate.

Trump met with Tusk and EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Thursday, during his first official visit to Brussels, the Belgian capital which also hosts key EU institutions.

Trump was also scheduled to attend a NATO leaders’ summit later today at the new headquarters of the alliance in Brussels.