European leaders gathered in Budapest Thursday in search of a joint response to the threats of a new Donald Trump presidency - though the seat of powerhouse Germany was left empty by a deepening political crisis.The leaders of the European Union were joined by others from the United Kingdom to Turkey, as well as NATO chief Mark Rutte and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy, for the meeting of the European Political Community - to be followed by a summit of the 27-nation bloc.“The future of Europe is in our hands,” European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said as she headed into the talks dominated by Trump’s return to the White House. “We’ve shown that Europe can take responsibility by standing together.”For all the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.On the agenda: Europe’s security challenges, chief among them Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as conflict in the Middle East, migration, global trade and economic security - issues all