European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen addresses the EU Parliament in Strasbourg, France, January 21, 2026
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REUTERS/Yves Herman
“We’re at a crossroads,” stated von der Leyen, the highest EU govt, talking earlier than the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday. “Europe prefers dialog and options — however we’re absolutely ready to behave, if obligatory, with unity, urgency and dedication.”
Pointedly, von der Leyen additionally argued that there was no returning to the world order that Europe spent a long time constructing with US cooperation.
“The shift within the worldwide order shouldn’t be solely seismic — however it’s everlasting,” she stated. “We now stay in a world outlined by uncooked energy.”
“Whereas many people might not prefer it,” she added, “we should take care of the world as it’s now.”
Von der Leyen’s speech indicated a shift towards a extra forceful method to Trump’s persistent menacing of Europe. It comes because the EU chief faces strain to push again tougher towards Trump’s world aggression.
Trump is anticipated to deal with the World Financial Discussion board in Davos afterward Wednesday, with EU capitals on the lookout for any sign about whether or not he intends to deescalate his pledge to slap recent tariffs on Europe.
Trump on Saturday introduced a ten% tariff on items from eight European nations starting Feb. 1, and rising to 25% in June, except he’s allowed to purchase Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, a North Atlantic Treaty Group ally and EU member. EU leaders will maintain an emergency assembly in Brussels on Thursday to discover potential retaliatory measures.
Von der Leyen stated that the extra tariffs can be “merely mistaken,” given the EU and the US shared the identical strategic evaluation on Arctic safety.
“If we are actually plunging right into a harmful downward spiral between allies, this may solely embolden the very adversaries we’re each so dedicated to holding out of our strategic panorama,” she added, echoing a speech she gave Tuesday to the Davos viewers.
Already, the European Parliament is about to delay a vote on the ratification of a big EU-US commerce deal over the Greenland disaster.
Von der Leyen reiterated that the bloc can also be getting ready to again Greenland with a “large European funding surge within the semi-autonomous island, to help the native economic system and infrastructure.”
As well as, she stated, the EU will “strengthen our safety preparations” with the UK, Canada, Norway and Iceland, and can work on a brand new safety technique within the coming months.
“I consider Europe itself must reassess its wider safety technique,” she stated. “The world has modified so quick, and Europe now has to vary with it.”
Extra tales like this can be found on bloomberg.com
Printed on January 21, 2026
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