Some 50 European leaders will reassess their transatlantic ties in the hope that Donald Trump’s second US presidency will avoid the strife and political pitfalls of his first administration.
BUDAPEST, Hungary — About 50 European leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, will reassess their transatlantic relationship in hopes of Donald Trump’s second presidency in the United States will avoid the strife and political pitfalls of his first administration.
Further exacerbating an already complicated situation, Germany – Europe’s troubled economic juggernaut – descended into political crisis after German Chancellor Olaf Scholz fired his finance minister. It raises the specter of an election in a few months and yet another battle between the brave hard right and establishment parties in Europe.
The two combined “add even more pepper and salt to this situation,” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said.
But the American election fallout still took center stage.
“Our relationship with the United States is important and we are ready to deepen it,” said European Council President Charles Michel.
The 27 nations from the EU bloc will meet in a separate summit as soon as other leaders from Britain, Turkey and the Balkans leave in the evening.
During his election campaign, Trump has threatened everything from a trade war with Europe to a withdrawal from NATO commitments and a fundamental shift in support for Ukraine in its war with Russia — all issues that could have ground-breaking consequences for nations across Europe.
Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orbánsummit host and an avid Trump fan, said early Thursday that he already had a phone call with the president-elect overnight and announced that “We have big plans for the future!”
So did hard-right Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who hailed the “deep and historic strategic partnership that has always bound Rome and Washington.”
That partnership came under constant pressure during Trump’s first term, from 2017-2021.
Trump’s administration dragged customs on EU steel and aluminum in 2018, based on the claim that foreign products, even if produced by US allies, were a threat to US national security. Europeans and other allies was retaliated with duties on American-made motorcycles, bourbon, peanut butter and jeans, among others.
The impact of the US election result could be felt in Europe for years to come, on issues such as the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as migration and climate change.
Among the leaders to attend on Thursday is Zelenskyy, who is expected to another plea for more support when his country repels Moscow’s invasion. The timing is laden with significance as Trump has vowed to end the war “within 24 hours” of being elected – something leaders in Kiev interpret as an imminent evaporation of US support after Trump’s win.
