Trump has promised to push for peace talks in Ukraine within six months but has criticized Europe's lack of defense spending.

From Nigel Farage to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, here are the competitors for the position of Europe’s Trump whisperer.

French President Emmanuel Macron warned on Monday that the billions of euros of taxpayer money spent on Europe's military budgets should not be used to buy only American weapons, pushing for more investment in home-grown defence industries.

The French President called on Europe to spend more on defence to reduce their reliance on the United States for security.

CESSON-SEVIGNE, France (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron called on Europe Monday to “wake up” and spend more on defense in order to reduce its reliance on the United States for its security, in a speech to the French military as Donald Trump returns to power.

Good morning. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz meets with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris today. Donald Trump said he’s open to the idea of Elon Musk buying TikTok. And Netflix subscriber gains hit a record.

Donald Trump criticized Volodymyr Zelensky in his first interview after returning to the White House, saying he "shouldn't have allowed this war to happen."

An Ifop poll for Le Journal du Dimanche published last weekend suggested a mere 21 per cent of French voters were happy with his presidency, his lowest approval rating since he first took office seven years ago and the second-lowest in modern French history after Francois Hollande, his Socialist predecessor.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday warned that Russia's war against Ukraine would not end "tomorrow or the day after" as Donald Trump, who pledged to quickly wind up the conflict, returned to the White House.

Donald Trump has broken with tradition and invited foreign politicians to his swearing-in, including conservative and far-right figures such as Italy's Giorgia Meloni, Argentina's Javier Milei and French MEP Marion Maréchal.

Frederiksen, who met on Tuesday with European leaders including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, said she had received 'a great deal of support' from Europe following Donald Trump's threats to gain control of Greenland.

In a break from tradition, US President-elect Donald Trump has invited world leaders and heads of far-right parties.