50 European leaders assess how Trump will affect their fortunes. German crisis adds to challenges

Around 50 European leaders will beryllium reassessing their trans-Atlantic relations successful nan dream that Donald Trump's 2nd U.S. presidency will debar nan strife and governmental pitfalls of his first administration

BUDAPEST, Hungary -- Around 50 European leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, will beryllium reassessing their trans-Atlantic relations successful nan dream that Donald Trump's 2nd U.S. presidency will debar nan strife and governmental pitfalls of his first administration.

Further compounding an already analyzable situation, Germany — Europe's troubled economical juggernaut — sank into governmental crisis aft German Chancellor Olaf Scholz fired his finance minister. It raises nan specter of an predetermination successful a fewer months and yet different standoff betwixt nan emboldened difficult correct and nan constitution parties successful Europe.

Those 2 mixed “adds moreover much capsicum and brackish to this situation,” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said.

But nan U.S. predetermination fallout still took halfway stage.

“Our narration pinch nan U.S. is basal and we are fresh to deepen it,” European Council President Charles Michel said.

The 27 nations from nan European Union bloc will beryllium gathering successful a abstracted acme arsenic soon arsenic different leaders from nan United Kingdom, Turkey and nan Balkans time off successful nan evening.

During his predetermination campaign, Trump has threatened thing from a waste and acquisition warfare pinch Europe to a withdrawal of NATO commitments and a basal displacement of support for Ukraine successful its warfare pinch Russia — each issues that could person groundbreaking consequences for nations crossed Europe.

For acme big and ardent Trump fan, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, said early Thursday he already had a telephone telephone pinch nan incoming president overnight, announcing that “We person large plans for nan future!”

So did hard-right Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who lauded nan “deep and historical strategical business that has ever tied Rome and Washington.”

That business came nether changeless unit during Trump’s first term, from 2017-2021.

Trump’s management slapped tariffs connected EU alloy and aluminum successful 2018, based connected nan declare that overseas products, moreover if produced by American allies, were a threat to U.S. nationalist security. Europeans and different friends retaliated pinch duties connected U.S.-made motorcycles, bourbon, peanut food and jeans, among different items.

The effect of nan U.S. predetermination consequence could beryllium felt successful Europe for years to come, connected issues including nan wars successful Ukraine and nan Middle East, arsenic good arsenic migration and ambiance change.

Among nan leaders owed to be connected Thursday is Zelenskyy, who is expected to make another plea for much aid arsenic his state fends disconnected Moscow’s invasion. The timing is laden pinch value arsenic Trump has vowed to extremity nan warfare “within 24 hours” of being elected — thing leaders successful Kyiv construe arsenic an impending evaporation of U.S. support pursuing Trump's win.