Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson will not attend a 'crisis' meeting in Brussels tomorrow

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson will not attend a 'crisis' meeting in Brussels tomorrow which was arranged to discuss how Europe will deal with the aftermath of the US election result.

Mr Johnson, 52, won't be at the dinner after he told his EU counterparts to end the 'whinge-o-rama' over Donald Trump's victory.

The Foreign Office said that 'an act of democracy has taken place' and they 'do not see the need' for an additional meeting.

The UK will be represented by a senior official who will attend the event in Belgium.

Mr Johnson will instead attend a 'regular' Foreign Affairs Council meeting on Monday where a range of issues will be discussed.

Foreign ministers from the 28 EU countries will sit down tomorrow to discuss Trump's victory - just four months after Britain voted for Brexit.

A Foreign Office spokesman told MailOnline: 'The Foreign Secretary will not attend the meeting convened for Sunday.

'There is a regular Foreign Affairs Council meeting on Monday where a range of issues can be discussed in the normal way.

'We do not see the need for an additional meeting on Sunday because the US election timetable is long established.

The meeting on Sunday was called after Donald Trump (pictured on CBS News of Friday night) won the presidential election

CBS News correspondent Lesley Stahl interviewed Mr Trump, his wife Melania and daughter Ivanka

Theresa May (pictured) has been warned she is 'delusional' if she believes she can get a good trade deal from Donald Trump

'An act of democracy has taken place, there is a transition period and we will work with the current and future administrations to ensure the best outcomes for Britain.'

The European Union's founders believed its unity would be forged in crisis, but after Brexit and the election of Trump to the White House, the bloc looks shakier than ever.

EU President Donald Tusk said on Wednesday that the events of 2016 were a 'warning sign for all who believe in liberal democracy', and urged Europe to 'finally get our act together'.

But Trump's election has made it harder to regroup, given that Europe - while trying to stay pragmatic in dealing with Washington - has no idea what to really expect from the billionaire.

Tusk warned at the time that the 'Western political civilisation' that has kept Europe at peace since World War II was now at risk.

Rattled European leaders have issued calls, after both Brexit and the Trump win, for Europe to seize its own destiny and tackle what they have dubbed a 'polycrisis'.

It comes as Prime Minister Theresa May was warned by a leading German politician that she is 'delusional' if she believes she can get a good trade deal from Trump, 70.

Axel Schafer, a senior member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Social Democrat coalition party, said Mrs May's hope that President-elect Trump will look favourably on the UK will come to nothing.

Referring to the shock election of Mr Trump, Mr Schafer told The Times: 'What changed is the likelihood of a speedy and preferential trade deal between UK and US.

'Even before Tuesday the chances were rather low, now the hope for this kind of deal seems delusional.'

The pointed remarks came after ministers talked up the chances of a close working relationship with the surprise winner of the race to the White House.

Mr Johnson said the Republican's victory over Hillary Clinton is a 'great opportunity for the UK' to build closer economic ties with America.

He suggested that the President-elect would be good for Britain as the country attempts to agree new free trade deals following Brexit.

Speaking on a whistle-stop tour of capitals in eastern Europe and the Balkans, Mr Johnson lashed out at European leaders for taking a more negative approach to Mr Trump's election.

He said: 'I would respectfully say to my beloved European friends and colleagues that it's time that we snapped out of the general doom and gloom about the result of this election and collective 'whinge-o-rama' that seems to be going on in some places.'

Following the election result, he revealed that he spoke to Vice-President-elect Mike Pence and added that the pair discussed the 'importance of the special relationship' between the two countries.

Mr Johnson, who previously described Mr Trump as being 'out of his mind', also praised him as a 'deal maker'.

A Foreign Office source told The Sun: 'The rest of Europe has been churlish and sniffy about Trump's victory. We haven't - that puts us in a much better place.'

Axel Schafer (pictured) a senior member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Social Democrat coalition party, has said Mrs May is 'delusional' if she thinks she will get a good trade deal

Mr Schafer said Mrs May's hope that Donald Trump (pictured) will look favourably on the UK will come to nothing

The tone was in marked contrast to that of European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, who seemed concerned about Trump's appointment - along with other leaders who have reacted with alarm.

He said: 'Mr Trump, during his campaign, said that Belgium was a village somewhere in Europe.

'We must teach the President-elect what Europe is and how it works. I believe we'll have two years of wasted time while Mr. Trump tours a world he doesn't know.

'The Americans, as a general rule, have no interest in Europe', Juncker said in his remarks to the students.

He added: 'The trans-Atlantic alliance, and the Nato alliance, is called into question, so it could be quite pernicious.

'With regards to refugees and other non-Americans, Trump has an approach which in no way coincides with the approach in Europe.'

And Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon is set to tell Britain's Nato allies to spend more money on defence.

The Telegraph reports that Sir Fallon will use a Brussels summit of defence ministers to urge countries to scrap plans for an EU army because Trump might withdraw his support.

Trump - during his campaign - said that America could refuse to help Nato allies unless they fulfil obligations and 'pay their bills'.

Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said his party would vote against triggering Article 50, which formally launches withdrawal negotiations with the EU, unless there was a guarantee that the final Brexit deal with Brussels is put to a fresh referendum.

He insisted he respected the decision made by voters in favour of leaving the EU but said nobody should have a deal 'imposed' upon them.

Although the Lib Dems only have eight MPs they have more than 100 peers in the Lords, which could spell trouble for the Government if judges rule that a full Act of Parliament is required before Article 50 can be triggered, as the legislation would have to clear both Houses.

European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker (pictured) said: 'I think that we'll waste time for two years while Mr Trump tours a world that he is completely unaware of'

The comments came as Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron (pictured) said his party would vote against triggering Article 50

MPs from other parties - including a Labour frontbencher - have indicated they would be prepared to oppose Article 50.

The Government is challenging a High Court ruling that Parliament must have the final say on triggering Article 50 with a hearing in the Supreme Court next month, arguing that prerogative powers could be used to trigger Article 50.

An outline of the grounds for appeal published by the Brexit Department said the High Court was mistaken and should have accepted 'the Crown retains the power to give effect to the result of the EU referendum' by taking the 'first step in the process' by notifying that it is triggering Article 50.

The Government's lawyers will argue that 'in any event, the continued existence of the power to take that first step is clearly established and authorised by Parliament'.

However, the Guardian reports that Government lawyers are looking at deploying new tactics when they try to persuade the Supreme Court to overturn the High Court ruling.

The legal team could argue that Parliament can reverse the Article 50 decision at any point, meaning its sovereignty has not been infringed, and Mrs May can trigger the process herself, the newspaper has suggested.

A Government spokeswoman said: 'Our position is clear: the country voted to leave the EU and we will respect the will of the British people.

'The Government told the High Court that as a matter of firm policy, once given, the Article 50 notice would not be withdrawn. Because legal proceedings are under way it would not be appropriate to comment further.'

Meanwhile, Britain could seek associate membership of the North American Free Trade Area, according to the Daily Telegraph.



