G7 Summit with Trump: The Club of Flatterers
Published in Frankfurter Rundschau
(Germany) on 16 June 2026
by Andreas Schwarzkopf (link to
original)
Instead of discussing problems at the G7 summit, Trump is being showered with compliments. This cowardice is the result of past mistakes.
The G7 meeting has become a club of sycophants. Instead of discussing problems, or even finding solutions, those who led the G6 are [now] showering U.S. President Donald Trump with compliments and presenting him with gifts, such as a jersey from the German national soccer team. And in doing so they are swallowing his numerous insults from the past few weeks.
Furthermore, they are acting as if they are content with the G7 considering further sanctions against Russia and its war of aggression. And they also refrain from reminding the self-named "deal maker" that he has long wanted to end the war against Ukraine. But at least this prevents Trump from leaving in a huff, and instead, at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, Trump is flying from the Evian summit to a dinner at the Palace of Versailles.
Trump Is To Be Kept in Good Spirits until NATO Summit
The calculation is clear: They hope that the positive mood will hold until the NATO summit in three weeks’ time and that Washington will not further weaken the alliance. This type of politics is pitiful and embarrassing. But despite Trump's second term in office and the much-discussed dependence of European countries on America, none of the leaders of the old continent have come up with a better strategy.
To avoid angering Trump, they also don't mention his weak agreement with Iran. The biggest economic nations are dependent on Trump ending the war against the mullah regime and re-opening the Strait of Hormuz as soon as possible. This could finally lower energy prices and eliminate major stress for the economy and citizens.
Cowardice at the G7 Summit: Europe Suffers from Past Mistakes
European leaders won't be able to break free of this uncomfortable position unless they can reduce their dependence on the West's former leading power. But that will take time. Europe has indeed begun looking for new markets in economic policy, such as trade agreements with South American countries, India, and others. However, these are not yet at the same scale — and in the case of many goods such as computer chips, the quality — needed to allow them to be completely independent from the U.S.
The same is true for defense policy. Ukraine's European allies are now bearing the brunt of supporting the country. But they cannot replace everything, such as satellite reconnaissance. The end of the European arms project illustrates just how difficult it is for Germany and other EU member states to not only formulate the necessary lessons but also implement them.
In other words: This cowardice is the result of the mistakes of the past, and the failure to quickly respond to the power politics of Trump, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping.
One may take comfort from the fact that such transformation processes are time-consuming. After all, existing beliefs need to be checked and renewed. Others must be replaced and many need to be created. To top it all off, everything should be condensed into a new vision for the future. This all takes time. Even the much-lauded rules-based world order wasn't developed in only a few days.
The G7 meeting has become a club of sycophants. Instead of discussing problems, or even finding solutions, those who led the G6 are [now] showering U.S. President Donald Trump with compliments and presenting him with gifts, such as a jersey from the German national soccer team. And in doing so they are swallowing his numerous insults from the past few weeks.
Furthermore, they are acting as if they are content with the G7 considering further sanctions against Russia and its war of aggression. And they also refrain from reminding the self-named "deal maker" that he has long wanted to end the war against Ukraine. But at least this prevents Trump from leaving in a huff, and instead, at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, Trump is flying from the Evian summit to a dinner at the Palace of Versailles.
Trump Is To Be Kept in Good Spirits until NATO Summit
The calculation is clear: They hope that the positive mood will hold until the NATO summit in three weeks’ time and that Washington will not further weaken the alliance. This type of politics is pitiful and embarrassing. But despite Trump's second term in office and the much-discussed dependence of European countries on America, none of the leaders of the old continent have come up with a better strategy.
To avoid angering Trump, they also don't mention his weak agreement with Iran. The biggest economic nations are dependent on Trump ending the war against the mullah regime and re-opening the Strait of Hormuz as soon as possible. This could finally lower energy prices and eliminate major stress for the economy and citizens.
Cowardice at the G7 Summit: Europe Suffers from Past Mistakes
European leaders won't be able to break free of this uncomfortable position unless they can reduce their dependence on the West's former leading power. But that will take time. Europe has indeed begun looking for new markets in economic policy, such as trade agreements with South American countries, India, and others. However, these are not yet at the same scale — and in the case of many goods such as computer chips, the quality — needed to allow them to be completely independent from the U.S.
The same is true for defense policy. Ukraine's European allies are now bearing the brunt of supporting the country. But they cannot replace everything, such as satellite reconnaissance. The end of the European arms project illustrates just how difficult it is for Germany and other EU member states to not only formulate the necessary lessons but also implement them.
In other words: This cowardice is the result of the mistakes of the past, and the failure to quickly respond to the power politics of Trump, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping.
One may take comfort from the fact that such transformation processes are time-consuming. After all, existing beliefs need to be checked and renewed. Others must be replaced and many need to be created. To top it all off, everything should be condensed into a new vision for the future. This all takes time. Even the much-lauded rules-based world order wasn't developed in only a few days.
Previous article![]( "Realism Has Taken Hold in Both Washington and Tehran")