Europe leaders shift from possible to likely Trump presidency, with Ukraine policy at front

As recent events have dramatically improved GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump’s chances for victory in November, European leaders who criticized him in the past have gone from fretting about a possible new Trump presidency to preparing for the former president’s return to the White House. 

With a few key exceptions – Viktor Orban in Hungary and Italy’s Giorgia Meloni come to mind – leaders in the European Union have stood solidly in support of Democratic President Joe Biden's administration. 

But now, with Trump's prospects on the rise, there’s a shift among the continent’s leadership that is likely to have profound effects on what happens in Ukraine and other security issues, global climate change strategies, and the nature of trans-Atlantic ties.