Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Sunday that US President Donald Trump's character and determination will swiftly restore order and European elites once again will "stand at the master’s heel".
 
"I assure you, Trump with his character, his persistence will restore the order there [in Europe] very quickly. And all of them, you will see, it will happen very quickly and soon, will stand at their master's heel slightly wagging their tail," Putin told Rossiya 1 reporter Pavel Zarubin.
 
Putin also noted that while European elites psychologically favored Joe Biden as US president, Trump holds contrasting views on several matters, including gender policy.
 
"They [European elites] just don’t like Trump, they were actively fighting against him, really meddling into the political life and the election process in the United States, and then got lost when Trump unexpectedly won," Putin said. 

According to Putin, under Biden, Europe eagerly followed Washington's directives, and little has changed since Trump assumed office. It is important to note that prior to Trump's presidency, EU officials voiced significant concerns about the potential impact of his new policies.

Europe confronts Musk, Zuckerberg, and Trump's provocations

Earlier this month, in an editorial published on January 10, Le Monde detailed the mounting political and ideological pressures Europe is facing from the United States, driven by Trump and influential tech figures such as Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. These developments have unsettled European leaders, traditionally focused on Eastern threats, and now confronting unprecedented interference from the West.

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The editorial outlines a series of disruptive actions. Elon Musk, owner of the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), has launched politically charged campaigns targeting European governments. In the UK, Musk accused Prime Minister Keir Starmer of protecting immigrant pedophile gangs, calling for his resignation. In Germany, Musk openly endorsed the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, offering its leader, Alice Weidel, a promotional platform on X during the election campaign.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump reiterated his controversial ambition to acquire Greenland, a Danish territory, signaling a territorial provocation. At the same time, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg criticized European laws regulating freedom of expression, describing them as "institutionalized censorship."

European leaders, caught off guard by these developments, have struggled to present a unified response.

Le Monde concluded that Europe must demonstrate resolve, reminding its Western allies that interference in its internal affairs will not be tolerated. As Le Monde aptly states, "sending Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg back to their nets is a way to signal to Donald Trump that the hunt is not open in Europe."

EU fears Trump may reverse Biden's sanctions on Russia

In a related context, EU officials were concerned that Trump might undo the executive orders issued by outgoing President Joe Biden that imposed sanctions on Russia once he assumed office, according to a Financial Times (FT) report on January 10, citing informed sources.
 
In the summer, the European Commission established a team of senior officials to examine Biden's executive orders on Russia sanctions, trade, and cybersecurity, aiming to assess how their removal could affect EU policy.

As per the report, EU officials hope to use these sanctions as leverage in potential negotiations with Moscow over a ceasefire in Ukraine.
 
The EU acknowledges the possibility that Trump could reverse certain key measures solely because they were introduced by Biden, FT reported, noting that it is typical for a new president to alter existing orders shortly after taking office, as executive orders can be issued and undone at any time.