Officials in Europe express enthusiasm towards Kamala Harris, while remaining cautious with their predictions.

• European officials are buzzing with anticipation as U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris emerges as the leading contender for the Democratic presidential nomination.
• A senior EU diplomat stated that the U.S. election has become "more intriguing" on Monday, according to CNBC.
• Although there is a belief that Harris has a greater chance of defeating Trump than Biden, preparations for a possible Trump victory in Europe are still underway.

European officials are buzzing with excitement as U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris emerges as the leading contender for the Democratic nomination before the upcoming election.

A senior EU diplomat, who wished to remain anonymous due to the politically sensitive nature of the topic, told CNBC Monday that the U.S. election had become "far more intriguing."

"An EU official, who wished to remain anonymous, stated that President Joe Biden is a remarkable individual with a distinguished past, but he is not the country's future. Additionally, the official expressed their belief that the U.S. requires younger leaders, dismissing 78-year-old former President Donald Trump."

The EU remembers its interactions with Trump and his team from 2017 to 2021, during which transatlantic ties reached historic lows and the two sides disagreed on trade, defense, and technology, among other issues.

The EU-U.S. relationship has entered a new chapter with the arrival of Biden in the White House, as EU institutions have welcomed his style and policy priorities, which are closely aligned with those in Brussels, particularly in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change, and supporting Ukraine.

EU officials have been preparing for the possibility of Trump's return to the White House for over a year now. If he wins the election, they anticipate a more "America First" policy, which may result in less financial support to Ukraine and potential tariffs on some European goods.

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, stated that the executive arm of the EU's top priority over the next five years is prosperity and competitiveness.

"If individuals are not competitive, they will become dependent. The race is on, and I urge Europe to shift gears. This begins with simplifying and speeding up business processes," she stated.

Last week, Trump expressed worries about a possible trade war by stating in an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek that he plans to impose a 10% uniform tariff on imports from other countries.

'There are, obviously, doubts'

Although it seems that Harris has a better chance of defeating Trump than Biden, who withdrew from the race over the weekend, preparations for a possible Trump victory are still being made in Europe.

The senior diplomat who spoke to CNBC said it was difficult to predict Harris' prospects, as it depends on how she performs in her role.

"Obviously, there are doubts, but she has a very different profile compared to Trump, which is good," they added.

While views on the U.S. election are not uniform in Europe, Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban has openly supported Trump.

Despite differences, Europe has become adept at cooperating with the U.S.

Radosław Sikorski, Poland's foreign affairs minister, stated on Monday that there is no discrimination between the two candidates.

In Brussels, he stated that he had met with Kamala Harris and her associates, as well as with the associates of Donald Trump, and during a meeting with a representative of the European commission, he advised maintaining dialogue with both sides.