The European Commission has established a special task force to prepare for the possible return of Donald Trump to the White House. This group is developing a strategy in case of a sudden shift in Washington's stance on free trade and support for Ukraine, Financial Times wrote, Paralel.Az reports.

Three informed sources revealed that the group is also assessing the impact of a potential Kamala Harris presidency and preparing for policy changes following the US elections in November. One source said that the goal is to determine what the consequences might be in any scenario.

The team was formed by the office of the European Commission's Secretary-General Ilze Juhansone and includes a small number of officials representing key directorates in trade, competition, and external relations.

Brussels is concerned that Trump may impose painful tariffs on EU exports, halt support for Ukraine, and pressure Kyiv to agree to Moscow's terms for ending the war.

European allies are worried about Trump's threats to withdraw the US from NATO or undermine the mutual defense provisions for countries he believes are not spending enough on defense.

The EU committee plans to intensify its work in September and increase engagement with member state governments to assess the EU's potential vulnerabilities and ways to mitigate negative consequences. Special attention will be given to developing communication plans in case of significant policy changes in the US, such as the need for EU taxpayers to contribute more to Ukraine's defense.

The European Commission has said that it is preparing for the US elections and is considering all possible scenarios, reaffirming its commitment to a close partnership with the US.

Germany's Foreign Ministry has also set up a similar group to prepare for a possible second Trump presidency, officials told the Financial Times.