Europe is being urged to stand firm in the face of rhetoric coming from the new US president.<br /><br /> The French President says EU member states should remain steadfast whenever Donald Trump urges them to follow the UK’s decision to split with Brussels.<br /><br /> This, Francois Hollande says, is Trump trying to undermine the integrity of the EU.<br /><br /> “Whenever there are statements coming from the president of the United States on Europe and whenever he talks of Brexit as a model for other countries, I believe we should respond,” Hollande said on the sidelines of a summit in Portugal.<br /><br /> #observador Refugiados. Hollande responde a Trump a partir de Lisboa: Presidente francês… https://t.co/jFMzkwPuzW— Noticias de Portugal (@news_portugal) January 28, 2017<br /><br /> Francois Hollande’s comments come after Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday making major changes to US policies on refugees and immigration.<br /><br /> Hollande was scheduled to have a telephone conversation with Trump on Saturday.<br /><br /> The summit<br /><br /> Southern European leaders are meeting in Lisbon to discuss the growing challenges they face.<br /><br /> These range from the refugee crisis to rising borrowing costs and low economic growth.<br /><br /> Rising populism is also contributing to political certainty across the continent.<br /><br /> The leaders of Greece, France, Italy, Spain, Malta and Cyprus are in Lisbon for the summit.<br />
