Europe is "mature" and should not be "timid" in its relationship with the United States regardless of the outcome of the American presidential election, according to former Luxembourg PM and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

The potential return of Donald Trump to the White House is generating anxiety in Brussels.

In an interview with AFP, the former Luxembourg leader who met with Trump multiple times between 2016 and 2020 stresses the need to approach this prospect with "calm".

Despite a "tumultuous" relationship, Jean-Claude Juncker successfully mitigated a trade war between the EU and the United States in 2018. He emphasizes that engaging with Trump requires "politeness" paired with "firmness that leaves no room for ambiguity."

"We are not mice in front of the Trump cat", Juncker asserts, advocating for an equal partnership between the United States and Europe.

He also notes that the U.S., like Russia and China, often views Europe not as a unified entity but as a collection of individual countries that can be pitted against one another.

"We need to consolidate European policies", Juncker insists, urging Europeans to demonstrate a united front on essential issues and upcoming challenges.

Strained ties with Europe 

This sentiment also extends to the current American vice president and Democratic candidate. "Kamala Harris, if elected president, will firmly defend American viewpoints", Juncker states.

"It will be a friendly relationship, but not without conflicts." The two candidates share a more strained relationship with Europe, as Kamala Harris does not have the same "European background" as current President Joe Biden, notes the diplomat.

Regarding Donald Trump, "unlike other American presidents I have known since (Bill) Clinton, what struck me is that he had no relationship, either heartfelt or rational, with Europe. He always viewed Europe, the European Union, as a war machine invented by Europeans to reduce American influence in the world", Juncker added.

Another common point between the two candidates for the White House is that they will demand that Europeans take greater responsibility for their own security.

"The demand to increase European defense spending to 2% of GDP will remain the main request that Americans will address to us, whether the president is Harris or Trump," Jean-Claude Juncker summarizes.