BRUSSELS — The European factions who hold different views on dealing with Donald Trump each have a figurehead. Let’s meet them.

Their roles are crucial as EU leaders meet in Brussels Thursday evening, hours after the U.S. president said he had formed “the framework of a future deal” on Greenland with NATO chief Mark Rutte.

The announcement throws the emergency European Council into uncertainty and will see those around the table trying to get a handle on what has actually been agreed, and how they respond to it.

Trump’s declaration that tariffs won’t be imposed on EU countries as part of the spat means it’s unlikely leaders will sign off on a range of planned retaliatory trade measures that had been on the table.

However, three officials and diplomats — granted anonymity to speak freely — told POLITICO that the working dinner remains vital for discussing a range of issues affecting relations with the U.S., including Washington’s new push for talks between Russia and Ukraine, as well as its creation of a Gaza Peace Board.

European Council President António Costa, who is chairing the meeting, will have to contend with different camps when it comes to how to deal with Trump. Here’s who to watch at the summit (and you can keep up with all the news and analysis on our live blog).

The Firebrand: French President Emmanuel Macron

Macron has emerged at the helm of a small but growing band of countries that want to take Trump on. In Davos on Tuesday, the French centrist branded the Greenland push as “imperialism or new colonialism” and bemoaned Trump’s “useless aggressivity.”

France has consistently pushed for Europe to be less dependent on the U.S., and its arms industry stands to benefit from its call on allies to buy more weaponry made on the continent.

Behind the scenes, French diplomats were pushing for the deployment of the ACI, making it clear in no uncertain terms that the bloc will stand up to economic blackmail. But texts published by Trump show that Macron — who once had a warmer relationship with the American president — has tried to continue his charm offensive out of view of the cameras.

Macron is backed up by leaders such as Belgium’s Bart De Wever, who has said publicly that “there’s no point in being soft anymore” and he would be prepared for a “trade war” if needed. Spain’s Pedro Sánchez, one of the few socialist leaders in the Council, has also been vocal in his condemnation of Trump.

That group will be emboldened by the fact that the White House seemingly backed down in the face of diplomatic and economic pressure over Greenland. The fact European leaders are taking this so seriously and holding emergency talks “was clearly part of changing [Trump’s] mind,” said a senior European diplomat about Thursday’s meeting.

The Reluctant Supporter: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz

Despite Berlin’s fragile governing coalition initially sending mixed messages about its intentions, Merz appears to be coming around to Macron’s strategy.

With his focus firmly on economics, Merz effectively speaks for the countries that would rather not be dragged into fresh rows with Trump but are starting to feel there may be no other option. He has publicly said “we want to avoid any escalation in this dispute, if at all possible,” but vowed “we will of course protect our European interests, as well as our German national interests.”

Like many others, Merz has tried charm — sitting awkwardly through an Oval Office meeting with Trump last year as the president brought up Germany’s Nazi past. Now, the chancellor seems resigned to the prospect that more will need to be done.

In private, German diplomats have joined forces with their French counterparts in a rare show of unity to signal they would be ready to support beginning the ACI process. “There is indeed a convergence in the positions between France and Germany, which was previously unthinkable,” said the EU diplomat.

The Litmus Test: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni

All eyes are on Meloni, who has simultaneously carved out a special relationship with Trump while also playing a key role in the development of the EU’s foreign affairs policy as part of an elite group of big economies. When she joins forces with those who want to be more assertive, it’s a significant sign that Trump has probably gone too far.

Meloni spoke to the president over the weekend by telephone. “Our goal is not to fight with the Americans,” her foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, told POLITICO after the call, arguing a “win-win” solution could be found.

While Meloni is often reluctant to sacrifice her communications channel with the White House, there’s an expectation she will ultimately side with her fellow Europeans. “Meloni understands. She is serious,” a second senior diplomat said, arguing that if her line to Trump fails to produce results, there’s little point continuing to protect it.

Another notably cautious figure around the Council table will be Dick Schoof, the prime minister of the Netherlands, who has been reluctant to openly criticize Trump despite his country being one of the targets of the new tariff threats. The Dutch government has emphasized the need to try to work through the Greenland issue without escalation.

The Undecided: Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk

A long-standing pro-EU politician, Tusk nevertheless faces a tough moment — navigating public opinion and a Trump-friendly president in Warsaw.

Along with the Baltic nations, Poland borders Russia and is dependent on Washington to continue its military role in the region.

Three diplomats told POLITICO that this group of countries, while supportive of standing up for European sovereignty, is more hesitant to do anything they think could be seen as an escalation. They will be breathing a sigh of relief that they don’t have to make any major decisions — yet.

The Sympathizer: Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš

The summit is the second Brussels sit-down for billionaire businessman Babiš since he returned to office. He could be key to demonstrating unity. So far, he has joked that he has bought a globe “to see where Greenland is,” and said Trump’s fears about Russia and China are legitimate, but called for a peaceful agreement to preserve NATO.

Another leader to keep an eye on is Slovakia’s Robert Fico. He has frequently criticized the EU and dug in his heels over efforts to diversify away from Russia, but ultimately tends to fall in line on major decisions. He met Trump in Mar-a-Lago over the weekend and agreed on joint nuclear power projects, saying he had a special relationship with the president because he is “not a Brussels parrot.”

One politician whom those in the room can depend on to oppose almost anything the others might agree on is Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán — a longtime fan of Trump. Diplomats say Budapest is worried by an increasingly unpredictable Washington but, according to one envoy, Orbán “doesn’t want to rock the boat” given he has a critical election test of his own in April.

Victor Jack contributed to this report.