Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Patrick Wintour Diplomatic editor

Trump’s polarising appeal leaves European populists in a tight spot

Italy's prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, leaves the EU headquarters at the end of the Special European Council to discuss continued support for Ukraine and European defence
Italy's prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, is in something of a bind as both a Trump loyalist and an ardent ally to Ukraine. Photograph: Nicolas Tucat/AFP/Getty Images

Europe’s rightwing populist parties are split over how far to distance themselves from Donald Trump’s pressure on Ukraine, with some fearing unflinching solidarity with the US president’s brand of nationalism will damage their efforts to widen their domestic support.

Broadly, unease over Trump’s treatment of Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and the ominous encroach of authoritarianism by the new US administration, is strongest among the populist parties in western Europe and some Nordic countries.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.