EU sets up Trump working group — FT

The bloc is “deeply concerned” about possible US policy changes after the November election

The EU has set up a dedicated team of officials to prepare for the potential return of Donald Trump as US president, the Financial Times has reported, citing sources.

The European Commission is seeking to assess the implications of possible policy changes that could ensue after the US election in November, especially on the issue of support for Ukraine, three people briefed on the matter told the outlet.

The team will also determine what impact a victory by the Democratic Party’s presumed nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, could have on aid for Ukraine, FT writes. Brussels believes that Harris’ policies “may not represent complete continuity” with those of current US President Joe Biden, it adds.

EU leaders have pledged to continue to provide military and financial support to Ukraine. Nearly €108 billion ($116.5 billion) has already been allocated to Kiev via the Solidarity with Ukraine fund since the start of Russia’s military operation in February 2022.  

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The Biden administration has so far committed more than $55 billion in security assistance to Kiev.

Trump, the Republican nominee, has, however, repeatedly threatened to scale back aid to Ukraine if elected. He has also proposed structuring the aid as a loan.

Additionally, he has pledged to end the conflict within 24 hours of returning to office. Russian President Vladimir Putin said last month that he took Trump’s pledge “seriously.” 

EU countries are also concerned about Trump’s previous threats to pull the US out of NATO or significantly undermine the mutual defense clause for countries that do not meet the organization's contribution targets, FT said.

Trump’s advisers floated the idea of demanding that NATO allies spend 3% of their gross domestic product on defense, a higher target than bloc members have agreed to, Bloomberg reported in July. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-07-23/trump-advisers-push-even-higher-target-for-nato-defense-spending

“It’s a discreet discussion forum to think about how best to prepare for Trump,” the outlet quoted one of its sources as saying. “It’s just plain smart to do so.” 

Among the plans the commission will focus on is the need for EU taxpayers to potentially contribute more to Ukraine’s defense, FT wrote.

After Biden dropped out of the presidential race last month and endorsed Harris as his replacement, she and Trump were polling neck and neck. Some of the latest polls this week, however, show Harris leading by a narrow margin.  

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Commenting earlier this year on the upcoming US election, Putin said that Russia was ready to work with any American president.

Russia has also repeatedly warned that no amount of foreign aid and weapons is capable of changing the situation on the battlefield and that such deliveries simply prolong the conflict.