UN defends Europe on rights after US criticism

President Donald Trump exits Marine One. [AFP] 

The United Nations rights chief on Wednesday responded to stinging criticism of Europe from US President Donald Trump's administration, insisting the continent has greatly benefited from promoting and protecting human rights.

Trump blasted Europe as "decaying" and "weak" on immigration, after his administration's national security strategy warned of so-called "civilisational erasure", saying the continent's migration policies were "creating strife, censorship of free speech and suppression of political opposition".

Volker Turk, the UN high commissioner for human rights, insisted that Europe had achieved huge successes in the rights field.

Regarding the European component of the US strategy, Europe "has benefited precisely from the promotion and protection of human rights", Turk told a press conference in Geneva.

Through its court and convention, Europe established a human rights system that is "one of the strongest in the world".

"When it comes to freedom of expression, it's absolutely clear there are limits to it when it comes to hate speech, harmful disinformation, incitement to violence," he said.

"I hope that all those who look at that strategy and who analyse it are doing it very much in recognition of the incredible path" of Europe to build a continent founded in "peace, human rights and dignity".

He called it an "incredible achievement for humanity".

Relations between Europe and the United States have become strained on several issues since Trump's return to power in January, from the US rapprochement with Russia to the open support the United States has shown for far-right parties in Europe.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Tuesday that parts of the US national security strategy were "unacceptable to us from a European perspective".