The leaders of EU nations will focus on the re-election of Donald Trump as U.S. president as they convene for a one-day summit in Budapest, Hungary on Thursday.
The trans-Atlantic relationship will likely change after the vote, leaders and consultants have mentioned. But the query is whether or not that change is perhaps seismic below Donald Trump, who’s on the verge of clinching the presidency.
Trump has 267 of the 270 electoral votes wanted to win the Oval Office. A win in Alaska or any of the excellent battleground states – Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona or Nevada – would ship the Republican former president again to the Oval Office.
For summit host and ardent Trump fan, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, issues have been already crystal clear at the same time as votes have been nonetheless being counted. “Good morning, Hungary! On the way in which to a gorgeous victory. It’s already within the bag!”
And European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen congratulated Trump, and mentioned that the EU and U.S. “are extra than simply allies. We are sure by a real partnership between our folks, uniting 800 million residents.”
“Let us work collectively on a transatlantic partnership that continues to ship for our residents. Millions of jobs and billions in commerce and funding on all sides of the Atlantic depend upon the dynamism and stability of our financial relationship,” she mentioned.
Economic relations have been something however steady throughout Trump’s final presidency.
His administration slapped taxes on EU metal and aluminum in 2018 on the declare that overseas merchandise produced by American allies have been a risk to U.S. nationwide safety. Europeans and different allies reacted with duties on U.S.-made bikes, bourbon, peanut butter and denims, amongst different objects.
The influence of the U.S. election outcome may very well be felt in Europe for years to come back, on points together with the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, in addition to migration or local weather change.
“All that is placing peace, stability and prosperity in danger in our area,” mentioned the invitation letter to the leaders of the European Political Community, which unites nearly 50 nations throughout Europe, barring Russia and Belarus.
Among the leaders more likely to attend on Thursday is Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is predicted to make one other plea for extra assist as his nation fends off Moscow’s invasion. The timing is laden with significance as Trump has vowed to finish the warfare “inside 24 hours” of being elected – one thing leaders in Kyiv interpret as an impending evaporation of U.S. assist ought to Trump win.
Not so way back, such a gathering – which can also be anticipated to incorporate leaders from non-EU nations like Türkiye, Serbia and the United Kingdom – would finish with reward for European unity and a standard political route. Yet with Orbán because the host of the summit, friction is nearly as good as assured.
Orbán, who has overtly thrown his weight behind Trump and argued that the previous president is a “man of peace,” predicted a Trump victory and recommended that civil and legal instances in opposition to him have been the results of a politically motivated U.S. Justice Department – a standard Trump chorus.
Having performed the obstructionist for years throughout the 27-nation EU, Orbán now holds the bloc’s rotating presidency, giving him a extra outstanding platform and making him the host of Thursday’s EPC summit, in addition to one other gathering of EU leaders on Friday.
The presidency below Orbán brought on turmoil from day one, when he declared “Make Europe Great Again” the motto of his six months in cost. It was a strikingly clear reference to his affection for Trump, which he adopted up with unannounced visits to Moscow and Beijing, angering EU leaders who mentioned he wasn’t appearing on their behalf.
In response to Orbán’s self-styled “peace mission,” many EU nations started boycotting presidency conferences in Budapest or sending solely lower-level bureaucrats moderately than ministers. However, no boycotts are anticipated for this week’s summits.
While Orbán has solid the results of U.S. elections as pivotal for Europe’s future – he is even delayed passing Hungary’s 2025 nationwide finances till after a brand new president is elected – not all EU leaders are comfy with the bloc’s destiny being so tightly sure up with the actions of American politics.
Donald Tusk, the center-right prime minister of Poland, mentioned that Europe should forge a extra unbiased path that’s much less delicate to adjustments throughout the Atlantic.
“Some claim that the future of Europe depends on the American elections, while it depends first and foremost on us, on the condition that Europe finally grows up and believes in its own strength,” Tusk mentioned within the days earlier than the summit. “Whatever the result, the period of geopolitical outsourcing is over.”
Germany and France urge EU coordination
European Union have to be united and coordinate carefully in view of Trump’s coming return to the White House, the leaders of the bloc’s two most important powers, Germany and France, mentioned on Wednesday after holding talks to coordinate their response.
French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz congratulated Trump on Tuesday’s election victory however have been additionally fast to emphasize the challenges posed by his “America First” protectionist commerce coverage and isolationist rhetoric.
“The European Union must stand close together and act in a united manner,” Scholz informed reporters, including that he and Macron have been coordinating carefully with different EU heads of state and authorities.
Macron mentioned on X that Berlin and Paris would work for a united, stronger Europe inside “the new context.”
Achieving European unity will nonetheless be difficult, not least as a result of over the previous years Paris and Berlin have been more and more at odds on points starting from the right way to finance elevated protection spending to commerce, and specifically tariffs on China’s electrical automobiles.
The French and German leaders are additionally in delicate political positions at house, with Macron shedding a lot of his energy after defeats in elections earlier this 12 months and Scholz struggling to maintain his coalition collectively.
“Contrary to claims, Europe is not prepared for the economic impact of higher tariffs, the likely U-turn on Ukraine, and defense spending ultimatums – we expect the EU to divide on similar lines to the US itself,” Eurointelligence analysts mentioned.
Source: www.dailysabah.com