European Leaders Convene to Address Threats Posed by Donald Trump’s Return
BUDAPEST: European leaders converge on Budapest today for two days of high-level talks that will seek to rise to the challenges posed by Donald Trump’s return to the White House — but also risk exposing the continent’s fault lines.
The Agendas
The leaders of the EU will be joined by others from the UK to Turkey, as well as NATO chief Mark Rutte and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, for today’s meeting of the European Political Community. On the agenda: Europe’s security challenges, chief among them Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as conflict in the Middle East, migration, global trade, and economic security — issues all thrown into sharp relief by the prospect of a disruptive second Trump presidency.
The Threats
"The Europeans really have a knife at their throat," said political analyst Sebastien Maillard of the Jacques Delors Institute. "The election result forces the EU to open its eyes. Maybe it’s in situations like these that things can actually happen," Maillard said.
Most urgent among the threats posed by Trump’s return are the fear he could upend European security and pull the plug on support for Ukraine, while simultaneously unleashing a trade war with steep tariffs on European goods.
EU Leaders Unprepared
"I don’t think they really prepared for this," said Guntram Wolff of the Bruegel think tank. "There is no fully discussed plan on what to do now — at the EU level, but also at the Franco-German level," Wolff said.
Divided Leadership
Powerhouse Germany is in the throes of a standoff that has torpedoed the coalition of Chancellor Olaf Scholz, while in France President Emmanuel Macron is limping into the final years of his presidency weakened by a protracted political crisis at home. "Without those two, the rest will find it extremely difficult to really advance on anything," Wolff predicted.
A United Front
Add the fact this week’s meetings will be hosted by Hungary’s hard-right leader Viktor Orban — a Trump ally who enthusiastically cheered his re-election, as did Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan — and the chances of a united European message towards the US look ever slimmer.
Leaders’ Dinner
On paper, a leaders’ dinner today will be devoted to the issue of transatlantic relations. "There could be a kind of anodyne statement of congratulations, on willingness to work with the new administration," predicted Ian Lesser, vice president at the German Marshall Fund of the US think tank. Beyond that, he said, "it will be very difficult for European leaders to produce a coherent reaction."
Conclusion
As European leaders converge in Budapest, the stakes are high, and the challenges are many. Can they come together to address the threats posed by Trump’s return, or will their differences tear them apart? Only time will tell.
FAQs
Q: What are the main concerns of European leaders?
A: Security, support for Ukraine, and the potential for a trade war with steep tariffs on European goods.
Q: Are European leaders prepared for the challenges posed by Trump’s return?
A: No, according to experts, they are not fully prepared and lack a unified plan.
Q: What is the mood among European leaders?
A: Divided, with concerns about the impact of Trump’s return on their economies and security.
Q: Who is hosting the meetings in Budapest?
A: Hungary’s hard-right leader Viktor Orban, a Trump ally.