European leaders put on a united European front on Thursday ahead of next week’s G20 summit.<br /><br />Host Angela Merkel welcomed leaders for preparatory talks in Berlin.<br /><br />While they’re committed to the Paris Climate Deal however, President Trump is pulling the US out.<br /><br />But any suggestion that he would be isolated at the July 7-8 gathering was quickly brushed to one side.<br /><br />European leaders meet in Berlin to plot united front at Trump’s first G20 summit https://t.co/brI1FJMo0P pic.twitter.com/hLiX6t3NpF— The Local Germany (@TheLocalGermany) 29 juin 2017<br /><br />“The United States has announced it wants to withdraw from the Paris accord while we are facing the challenge of migration, while the fight against terrorism is a challenge affecting all our societies and where free trade is challenged by several countries,” French President Emmanuel Macron told reporters.<br /><br />“Today, we must defend those things that are common to us all.”<br /><br />At Macron’s invitation, Trump will visit Paris a week after the G20 summit for Bastille Day celebrations. <br /><br />Earlier in a defiant speech to parliament, German Chancellor Merkel stressed the importance of tackling climate change and slammed isolationism and protectionism in what was seen as a swipe at the US leader.<br /><br />#Merkel determined to conduct #G20 chairmanship to serve #Parisagreement. Won’t deny rift after #Trump decision to withdraw. #climatechange pic.twitter.com/Ef8nTC2sKb— DW | Politics (@dw_politics) 29 juin 2017<br /><br />But she too is taking a conciliatory and pragmatic approach.<br /><br />“Because of the US decision to pull out of the Paris accord, there are of course areas where opinions differ, but the United States is an important part of the G-20 so we will do anything to work together, without covering up the differences.”<br /><br />Climate change activists though will be a lot less diplomatic with Trump and the other G20 leaders.<br /><br />They will be making their voices heard at the summit in Hamburg.<br /><br />The G20 summit will be held a little over a month after a G7 summit in Sicily exposed deep divisions between other western countries and Trump on climate change, trade and migration.<br />
