European Commission President von der Leyen: EU Prepares for ‘Tough but Constructive’ Dialogue with the US

The European Union is committed to constructive relations with the United States, but is ready to respond firmly to arbitrary or unfair decisions of its American partners and will firmly defend its own values and interests. This was stated by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during a press conference in Brussels following an informal meeting of EU heads of state and leaders dedicated to strengthening European defence, Ukrinform reports.

‘The first issue we discussed was our transatlantic partnership. It defines our most significant relationship, which is fundamental to promoting peace, security and prosperity. Against the backdrop of what we know - and the stakes are very high - we are committed to building a very pragmatic cooperation with the United States. Obviously, there are new challenges and growing uncertainties in this. So the European Union is preparing for a tough but constructive dialogue with the United States,’ von der Leyen said.

According to her, the European side is fully aware of the challenges that may be manifested in relations with the United States.

‘If we are targeted for arbitrary or unfair actions, the European Union is ready to respond firmly. This weekend we saw high tariffs imposed on Canada and on Mexico. These tariffs raise the cost of doing business, they hit workers and consumers, they create unnecessary economic gaps and they lead to inflation. We don't see anything good in this. So we are prioritising a productive discussion. At the same time, the European Union remains firm in its multilateral commitments - both in terms of development assistance and our climate goals,’ the President of the European Commission stressed.

As a reminder, an informal meeting of EU Heads of State and Government took place in Brussels to discuss issues related to strengthening European security and defence.