European leaders gathered on Thursday in the shadow of Donald Trump’s election victory and said they agreed on the need to take more responsibility for their security and rely less on the United States.
Trump’s reelection is a major challenge for Europe, opening an era of huge uncertainty at a time when the continent is struggling to find unity and its two biggest powers, Germany – whose government just fell apart – and France, are weakened.
Adding to the uncertainty hanging over the Budapest gatherings, Germany’s three-party government broke apart on Wednesday evening as Chancellor Olaf Scholz sacked his finance minister and paved the way for a general election.
