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Arab News
01-04-2025
- Business
- Arab News
European countries resist US push to scrap diversity and inclusion initiatives
PARIS: US government efforts to eliminate diversity initiatives are not going down well on the European continent. Laurent Saint-Martin, France's minister for foreign trade, said on Monday the country won't compromise after the US State Department said that French companies who have contracts with the US government need to drop diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. In neighboring Belgium, where some companies received similar requests, the government lashed out at the new US rules. French media reported last week that French companies received a letter saying US President Donald Trump's rollback of DEI initiatives also could apply outside of the US. Saint-Martin spoke to RTL Radio following the reports and said French authorities will seek explanations from their US counterparts about the letter. The reported demands included abandoning inclusion policies that are part of French and European Union laws such as equality between men and women, the fight against discrimination and racism or the promotion of diversity to help people with disabilities, he said. 'All of this is progress that corresponds first and foremost to our French values, we are proud of this and we don't want to compromise on it,' Saint-Martin said. 'We can't just cancel the application of our own laws overnight.' French media said the letter was signed by an officer of the US State Department who is on the staff at the US Embassy in Paris. The embassy didn't respond to questions from The Associated Press. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce, speaking to reporters at a briefing in Washington, confirmed that letters were sent. 'This is an effort to comply with the executive order from the president and it is essentially a self-certifying statement to local consulates and embassies,' she said. Le Figaro daily newspaper published what it said was a copy of the letter. The document said an executive order that Trump signed in January terminating DEI programs within the federal government also 'applies to all suppliers and service providers of the US Government, regardless of their nationality and the country in which they operate.' The document asked US government contractors to complete, sign and return within five days a separate certification form to demonstrate that they are in compliance. Saint-Martin said he was 'deeply shocked' but insisted on the need to have a 'positive agenda' and maintain a dialogue with the US. In Belgium, Finance Minister Jan Jambon said Europeans have a 'culture of 'non-discrimination' that must be continued. 'We have no lessons to learn from the boss of America,' he told channel RTL-TVi. In a joint statement quoted by local media, Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot and Equal Opportunities Minister Rob Beenders regretted the 'step backward' taken by the US. 'Diversity and inclusion are not just buzzwords, but the foundations of a strong and dynamic society,' they said. 'They strengthen our economy, foster innovation and allow talent to flourish.' In Spain, Barcelona's mayor said last week that his municipal government will defy Trump's attack on DEI initiatives that have included a cultural program hosted by the city. Trump issued the executive order to roll back the programs with federal funding, including those receiving US government aid abroad. The Barcelona-based program is one of 700 'American Spaces' located in 140 countries. They offer English-language and other courses to adults and children, information and materials about the US and counseling for foreign students hoping to enroll at US schools and universities.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
France 'deeply shocked' by US demand to drop diversity initiatives
PARIS (AP) — France's minister for foreign trade says the country won't compromise after the U.S. State Department reportedly demanded that French companies drop diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Laurent Saint-Martin spoke to RTL Radio on Monday following reports that U.S. diplomats are interfering in the operations of French companies. French media reported last week that major French companies received a letter telling them that U.S. President Donald Trump's rollback of DEI initiatives could also apply outside of the United States. Saint-Martin said French authorities will seek explanations from their U.S. counterparts about the letter. He said the demands included abandoning inclusion policies that are part of French and European Union laws such as equality between men and women, the fight against discrimination and racism or the promotion of diversity to help people with disabilities. 'All of this is progress that corresponds first and foremost to our French values, we are proud of this and we don't want to compromise on it,' Saint-Martin said. 'We can't just cancel the application of our own laws overnight.' French media said that the letter was signed by an officer of the U.S. State Department who is on the staff at the U.S. Embassy in Paris. The embassy didn't respond to questions from The Associated Press. Le Figaro daily newspaper published what it said was a copy of the letter. The document said that an executive order that Trump signed in January terminating DEI programs within the federal government also 'applies to all suppliers and service providers of the U.S. Government, regardless of their nationality and the country in which they operate.' The document asked recipients to complete, sign and return within five days a separate certification form to demonstrate that they are in compliance. Saint-Martin said he was 'deeply shocked' but insisted on the need to have a 'positive agenda' and maintaining a dialogue with the United States.
The Independent
31-03-2025
- Business
- The Independent
France 'deeply shocked' by US demand to drop diversity initiatives
France 's minister for foreign trade says the country won't compromise after the U.S. State Department reportedly demanded that French companies drop diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Laurent Saint-Martin spoke to RTL Radio on Monday following reports that U.S. diplomats are interfering in the operations of French companies. French media reported last week that major French companies received a letter telling them that U.S. President Donald Trump's rollback of DEI initiatives could also apply outside of the United States. Saint-Martin said French authorities will seek explanations from their U.S. counterparts about the letter. He said the demands included abandoning inclusion policies that are part of French and European Union laws such as equality between men and women, the fight against discrimination and racism or the promotion of diversity to help people with disabilities. 'All of this is progress that corresponds first and foremost to our French values, we are proud of this and we don't want to compromise on it,' Saint-Martin said. 'We can't just cancel the application of our own laws overnight.' French media said that the letter was signed by an officer of the U.S. State Department who is on the staff at the U.S. Embassy in Paris. The embassy didn't respond to questions from The Associated Press. Le Figaro daily newspaper published what it said was a copy of the letter. The document said that an executive order that Trump signed in January terminating DEI programs within the federal government also 'applies to all suppliers and service providers of the U.S. Government, regardless of their nationality and the country in which they operate.' The document asked recipients to complete, sign and return within five days a separate certification form to demonstrate that they are in compliance. Saint-Martin said he was 'deeply shocked' but insisted on the need to have a 'positive agenda' and maintaining a dialogue with the United States.
Associated Press
31-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
France ‘deeply shocked' by US demand to drop diversity initiatives
PARIS (AP) — France's minister for foreign trade says the country won't compromise after the U.S. State Department reportedly demanded that French companies drop diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Laurent Saint-Martin spoke to RTL Radio on Monday following reports that U.S. diplomats are interfering in the operations of French companies. French media reported last week that major French companies received a letter telling them that U.S. President Donald Trump's rollback of DEI initiatives could also apply outside of the United States. Saint-Martin said French authorities will seek explanations from their U.S. counterparts about the letter. He said the demands included abandoning inclusion policies that are part of French and European Union laws such as equality between men and women, the fight against discrimination and racism or the promotion of diversity to help people with disabilities. 'All of this is progress that corresponds first and foremost to our French values, we are proud of this and we don't want to compromise on it,' Saint-Martin said. 'We can't just cancel the application of our own laws overnight.' French media said that the letter was signed by an officer of the U.S. State Department who is on the staff at the U.S. Embassy in Paris. The embassy didn't respond to questions from The Associated Press. Le Figaro daily newspaper published what it said was a copy of the letter. The document said that an executive order that Trump signed in January terminating DEI programs within the federal government also 'applies to all suppliers and service providers of the U.S. Government, regardless of their nationality and the country in which they operate.' The document asked recipients to complete, sign and return within five days a separate certification form to demonstrate that they are in compliance. Saint-Martin said he was 'deeply shocked' but insisted on the need to have a 'positive agenda' and maintaining a dialogue with the United States.
Reuters
03-03-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Europe keeps trying with Trump on Ukraine and security despite Zelenskiy clash
BRUSSELS, March 3 (Reuters) - Even as they have rallied to Volodymyr Zelenskiy's side after his Oval Office clash with Donald Trump, European leaders' approach to the war in Ukraine and the continent's security remains highly dependent on the U.S. president. For all their sympathy for Zelenskiy and European anger at his treatment by Trump, they see no way to bring peace to Ukraine or protect Europe against Russia without U.S. support. That view reflects a harsh reality for Europeans that U.S. hard power is vastly superior to anything they can muster, even as they scramble to ramp up defence spending and vow to take more responsibility for their own security. Whether Europeans can still rely on that power to come to their aid, as they have done for decades, is an existential question not only for Ukraine but for the continent's security and the NATO alliance. Even after Trump's public berating of the Ukrainian president, European leaders are essentially sticking to the strategy they have pursued since the U.S. president began his second term. It is the same for both Ukraine and broader European security: try to keep the U.S. engaged while also boosting Europe's own efforts. "Do we consider Volodymr Zelenskiy an important resistance fighter, a hero? The answer is yes. Should we be making judgment or taking the moral high ground? Then the answer is no," French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told RTL Radio on Monday. The European strategy was on display at a leaders' meeting in London on Sunday and will likely feature again at a European Union summit on Ukraine and defence on Thursday in Brussels. Leaders including NATO boss Mark Rutte urged Zelenskiy to find a way to rebuild ties with Trump. And even as he declared Europe is ready to do the "heavy lifting" on security guarantees for Ukraine after a peace deal, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said they would need "strong U.S. backing" - which Trump has not promised so far. STRATEGY DOUBTS Some doubt whether such a strategy has much chance of success, given Trump's treatment of Zelenskiy and his swift moves to warm up U.S. relations with Russia. "It seems to me that many have still not fully accepted that Trump simply does not want to play the role that Europeans want him to play," said Jana Puglierin, head of the Berlin office of the European Council on Foreign Relations think tank. "No 'strong US backing' will materialize," she posted on X in a comment on Starmer's remarks. However, European officials feel they have no alternative but to keep trying, even though some were privately fuming over how Trump treated Zelenskiy. One senior official declared in the aftermath of the blow-up: "Donald Trump has to choose if he wants to call himself a leader of the free world, or leader of an extortion gang. The latter is not interesting for Europe." Another branded the episode "disgraceful" and an official from northern Europe called it an "utter disgrace". But Peter Mandelson, the British ambassador to the United States, said Ukrainian-U.S. relations needed to be reset as Trump's initiative to end the war was "the only show in town". PRESSING CONCERN For Ukraine's European allies, one pressing concern is that U.S. arms deliveries approved under the Biden administration keep flowing. According to NATO, the U.S. provided more than 20 billion euros ($21 billion) in security assistance to Ukraine in 2024 – more than 40% of the total received by Kyiv. America's support to Ukraine is not just about ammunition and weapons, from artillery shells to air defence systems. It also provides intelligence, training and other assistance that would be hard for Europeans to replace. In the longer term, European leaders say any soldiers they send to Ukraine to defend a peace deal would need backup from their nuclear-armed superpower ally, even though Washington has made clear it will not deploy troops inside the country. That would mean U.S. forces being ready to intervene to protect European troops if they came under attack from Russia. "The Russians need to know that they're going to answer to the United States as well as to the Europeans on the ground," Mandelson told ABC News on Sunday. Europe's reliance on the U.S. is even greater for its own defence inside the NATO alliance. Tens of thousands of U.S. troops are deployed in bases across the continent and the U.S. provides a range of military capabilities that Europe currently can't match - from mid-air refuelling to a giant nuclear umbrella. For now, Europeans are taking comfort in declarations by the Trump administration that it is committed to NATO. But they say NATO will have to change substantially - with a much greater European role. "We know that they expect us to take greater responsibility for Europe's security, and we must be ready for that," said a senior European official. ($1 = 0.9583 euros)
