EU Condemns Trump Travel Ban

The European Union has condemned Donald Trump’s unilateral ban on travel from 26 European countries as urgent efforts to prevent the rapid spread of the coronavirus.

In a statement, the presidents of the European Council and the European Commission, Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen said that the outbreak is a "global crisis, not limited to any continent and it requires cooperation rather than unilateral action."

"The European Union disapproves of the fact that the US decision to impose a travel ban was taken unilaterally and without consultation," the statement read.

In the UK, which is exempted from the restrictions, Trump's decision was received with skepticism by Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who said there "isn't evidence that interventions like closing borders or travel bans are going to have a material effect on the spread of infection."

President Trump is suspending flights directed from Europe to the United States. The President wrote on Twitter that during a 30-day period, European passengers will not be able to enter the United States. The directive will be activated from Friday, March 13.  

Yesterday, President Donald Trump said that he was "marshaling the full power of the federal government" to challenge the growing health crisis. This includes a month-long termination of travel from Europe to the US.

Trump added that he was supervising "the most aggressive and comprehensive effort to confront a foreign virus in modern history."

By Ana Dumbadze 

Photograph: Yoan Valat/EPA

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