Europe should not remain a vegetarian after Trump’s election; it must become an omnivore.

Axar.az reports that this statement was made by French President Emmanuel Macron during the European Political Community meeting held in Budapest.

According to Politico, Macron is known for his strong advocacy of Europe becoming more independent from trade rivals such as China and the United States.

"For me, it’s simple. The world is divided into vegetarians and carnivores. If we want to stay vegetarians, the carnivores will win, and we will be their market. I think we should be omnivores. I don’t want to be aggressive, I just know how to defend ourselves in these matters," Macron said to European leaders in Budapest.

The publication notes that Macron's position within the European Union has weakened in recent times. He has especially tried to position himself as a central figure between the EU and the United States. In this regard, an anonymous diplomat told the publication that Macron is attempting to use Trump’s election as an excuse to push for greater EU sovereignty. This was supported by an earlier statement from Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto in Budapest:

"Europe needs to think. If you ask me whether Europe should replace the US, my answer is a clear ‘no’. The results of the US elections create a new reality not just in Europe, but around the world."

An anonymous European Union diplomat told Politico that the attendees of the Budapest meeting did not believe in Macron’s calls for unity:

"He talks about unity, but what he really means is French unity. If it’s about burning bridges again, then no thanks, we don’t need it. We want to keep the transatlantic relationship open."