Donald Trump on the offensive in Europe at the G7 summit

DONALD Trump has received a frosty reception in Europe at the G7 summit following his so-called “successful” Middle East trip.

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May, US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrive to watch an Italian flying squadron during the Summit of the Heads of State and of Government of the G7. Picture: AFP.

IN THE Middle East, US President Donald Trump was feted with pageantry, the leaders of Saudi Arabia and Israel seemingly in competition to outdo the other with the warmth of their welcomes and the depth of their pledges of co-operation.

But in Europe, President Trump has faced a far cooler reception and has been eager to go on the offensive.

Cajoled on issues like climate change and NATO’s defence pact, he’s responded by scolding some of the United States’ most loyal allies for not paying their fair share. He’s also refused to explicitly back the mutual defence agreement that has been activated only once, during the darkest hours of September 2001.

President Donald Trump adjusts his jacket during a photo with G7 leaders at the Ancient Greek Theater of Taormina, Friday, May 26, 2017, in Taormina, Italy. Picture: AP.

Still, Mr Trump hailed the trip a success as he arrived to the G-7 summit in Sicily on Friday, the final stop of his maiden international trip, a gruelling nine-day, five-stop marathon.

“Getting ready to engage G7 leaders on many issues including economic growth, terrorism, and security,” Mr Trump wrote on Twitter. “Trip has been very successful. We made and saved the USA many billions of dollars and millions of jobs.”

Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, said the group’s leaders “sometimes have very different views” on topics such as climate change and trade, “but our role as the EU is to do everything to maintain the unity of the G7 on all fronts.”

TRUMP VIEWS ON CLIMATE ‘EVOLVING’

Meanwhile, a top White House official said on Friday that Mr Trump’s views on climate change are “evolving” following discussions with European leaders who are pushing for him to stay in the Paris climate accord.

“He feels much more knowledgeable on the topic today,” said Gary Cohn, Mr Trump’s top White House economic adviser. “He came here to learn, he came here to get smarter.”

French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with Mr Trump at length about the climate deal during a meeting on Thursday in Brussels. At the Vatican earlier in the week, Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin made his own pro-Paris pitch to Mr Trump and his advisers.

At the close of Friday’s talks, Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said six of the G-7 nations - Italy, Britain, France, Germany, Canada and Japan - confirmed “our commitment and our determination” to the Paris agreement. The United States, meanwhile, confirmed “a period of reflection” on the issue, Mr Gentiloni said.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, and US President Donald Trump depart after posing for the group photo at the G7 Taormina summit. Picture: Getty.

GERMANY PUSHES BACK AGAINST TRUMP TRADE COMMENTS

Also on Friday, a German government spokesman says trade surpluses like the one that’s provoking Mr Trump’s ire are the result of market factors and are “neither good nor bad.” Spokesman Georg Streiter didn’t comment directly on a confirmed report that Mr Trump called Germany “bad, very bad” on trade because of the success of German companies in selling cars and other goods to US customers.

French President Emmanuel Macron (L) German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni arrive during a G7 summit. Picture: AFP.

But, speaking in Berlin, Mr Streiter said Germany’s current account surplus — the broadest measure of trade and investment flows — reflects economic factors that the German government can’t directly do anything about.

He said it was “also caused by factors that cannot, or at least cannot directly, be influenced by economic or financial policy measures in Germany, for example the oil price, the euro exchange rate, but also structural factors such as demographic developments.”

White House economic adviser Gary Cohn said on Friday that Mr Trump did say Germans are “very bad on trade but he doesn’t have a problem with Germany.” He noted that Mr Trump’s father was born in Germany and said Mr Trump had told the leaders, “I don’t have a problem with Germany, I have a problem with German trade.”

JUSTIN TRUDEAU AND MACRON LOOK ‘SO IN LOVE’

Fans dubbed Justin Trudeau and Emmanuel Macron “too hot to handle” when the politicians finally met for the first time.

Twitter users called the Canadian Prime Minister and French President the “most handsome world leaders” as they attended the summit in Sicily on Friday.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (R) and French President Emmanuel Macron talk as they attend the Summit of the Heads of State and of Government of the G7. Picture: AFP.

Excited fantasists said the liberal-left pair looked “so in love” as they strolled through ornate gardens and even suggested they star in a romantic comedy together.