‘The West as we knew it no longer exists’: Ursula von der Leyen
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European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen told the German weekly Die Zeit that “the West as we knew it no longer exist,” as she spoke of “historic” changes taking place as a result of Donald Trump’s presidency in the US.
In a wide-ranging interview, she defended the EU’s position on regulating US digital services even in the face of threats of removing US nuclear umbrella, as she pointedly said “we don’t have bros or oligarchs making the rules.”
Striking a delicate balance, she still sung praises for the US and the EU-US relationship, while urging countries to produce and buy more in Europe, particularly when it comes to increasingly critical defence supplies.
On European security, von der Leyen also warned that “while Putin may pause every so often, there is no limit to his imperial ambitions,” highlighting the existential risks facing the EU.
What’s notable is that the interview – originally conducted in German – was translated for the newspaper by von der Leyen’s office – as if she and her team wanted it to be more widely read across Europe.
Either way, her comments come a day after the EU appeared to be growing frustrated with the lack of engagement on the US side when it comes to resolving the tariffs standoff, with commission spokesperson telling reporters that the bloc needed “an additional level of engagement from the US to keep the ball rolling forward.”
Further talks will be taking place in the background as the 90-day pause continues.
She said that in recent years, the need for a wake-up call for the EU has often been articulated. Von der Leyen added that today, she would say that Europe is awake – “wide awake”.
