US President-elect Donald Trump has met with several European leaders at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, ahead of his inauguration on January 20. The meetings come as Trump is expected to shake up traditional foreign policy playbook and has faced criticism for his stance on EU tariffs and Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban was the first European leader to visit Trump after the election, with the two sharing a personal chemistry but differing views on EU trade. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also met Trump, who praised her as “a fantastic woman” and has been seen as a potential influencer for Trump’s approach to key issues.
French President Emmanuel Macron hosted Trump alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the Notre Dame Cathedral, but his efforts to influence Trump on Ukraine have had no impact. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also met Trump, despite Germany running a significant trade surplus with the US and differing views on EU tariffs.
The meetings mark an early attempt by European leaders to position themselves for Trump’s presidency, which is expected to be marked by diverging interests and potential new players emerging as his closest allies.
Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/trump-european-leaders-allies-orban-meloni-macron/33279202.html