As France and Germany struggle, Poland’s prime minister has the advantage of being well respected on both sides of the Atlantic

With France and Germany hobbled by political crises and Britain sidelined as a result of Brexit, the Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk, may be the last national statesman standing to marshal Europe’s response to Donald Trump’s impending return to the White House.

Buffeted by economic, diplomatic and political threats on all sides, the old continent is ill prepared for a new chapter in which Vladimir Putin is pressing his military advantage in Ukraine before Trump can try to force a peace deal that could damage the interests of Ukrainians and Europeans. Trump, who has spoken of letting Russia do “whatever the hell they want” with Nato countries that don’t spend enough on defence, is also threatening massive tariffs against his closest allies that could split Europe and trigger a damaging transatlantic trade war.

Paul Taylor is a senior visiting fellow at the European Policy Centre