Trump tests relations

Photo: The Canadian Press

After President Donald Trump's raucous first month in office, Europeans have reacted with demonstrations, counter-barbs and sheer angst that a century of trans-Atlantic friendship may be sinking.

"Too much has happened," European Union leader Donald Tusk said Monday, "for us to pretend that everything is as it used to be."

The governments of some traditional allies have gone a step further, uniting with fundraising plans and a special conference to balance the new U.S. administration's reverse tack from Barack Obama's presidency on abortion policies.

Beyond Trump's orders on immigration, few of the administration's policies have unsettled many European nations as much as his ban on funding for international groups that perform abortions or provide information about abortions to women in developing nations.

Belgian Vice Premier Alexander De Croo was so shocked that words were not enough. He said European nations, fearful that thousands of women and girls will die without family planning information, already are co-operating to make up as much of funding gap as possible.

"What we are doing is rolling up our sleeves and saying instead of complaining we are going to take action," De Croo said in an interview with The Associated Press.

Ten EU nations wrote to the European Union's foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, telling her that Europe cannot let down women in developing nations whatever the U.S. policy.

"Collectively we have a responsibility not to allow this to happen," the nations said in a common call against Trump's order, which massively expanded previous Republican bans on providing federal money to international family planning groups that perform abortions or provide abortion information.

Even if European nations were alarmed when past Republican administrations restricted international funding over abortion, the reaction against the Trump order was much more vociferous.

Within five days of Trump's action, Dutch Foreign Development Cooperation Minister Lilianne Ploumen said she received thousands of messages from over 150 countries, with many seeking information how to donate funds.

Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands already have committed 10 million euros ($10.5 million) each and will host an international pledging conference March 2 to help cover the financial hole Trump left.