BRUSSELS, July 22 (Benama-dpa) -- US President Joe Biden's announcement that he is withdrawing from the presidential race is expected to dominate a meeting on Monday of EU foreign ministers, amid concern across much of Europe at the prospect of a second Donald Trump presidency, said German news agency (dpa).
The main topics scheduled for Monday's regular meeting are the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, however, Biden's historic decision is likely to overshadow the Brussels talks.
Biden's announcement that he would not run for a second term came on Sunday, throwing his Democratic Party into upheaval as they scramble to nominate a candidate who can take on Republican rival Donald Trump on Nov 5.
Relations between the European Union and the United States soured under Trump's first presidency, and fears are rife across much of the bloc that a second Trump term could have far-reaching consequences for the war in Ukraine, global trade and European security in general.
Not all EU capitals share these concerns, however, with the bloc undergoing a political shift to the right - exemplified in last month's European Parliament elections.
Initial reactions on Sunday evening included Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who praised Biden on X for his "many difficult decisions thanks to which Poland, America and the world are safer, and democracy stronger."
At the other end of the spectrum, Geert Wilders, the leader of the Dutch far-right Party for Freedom, reposted a tweet showing Trump with his fist raised following last week's assassination attempt, alongside the words "President Trump" and a flexed biceps emoji.
Attention will likely also focus on Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who met Trump earlier this month in a flurry of diplomacy that also included visits to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Hungary took over the EU's rotating presidency in July, but top EU officials and fellow leaders have distanced themselves from Orbán's self-proclaimed "peace mission."
-- BERNAMA-dpa
