Europe

The West as we know it is gone, a new world order is coming, says von der Leyen

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In a comprehensive interview with Germany’s leading weekly newspaper Die Zeit, European Union (EU) Commission President Ursula von der Leyen highlighted the fundamental changes in world politics following Donald Trump’s second election as US President, stating, “The West as we know it is gone.”

Von der Leyen emphasized that the series of crises the EU has faced since she took office in 2019 has strengthened the Union, and Europe now confronts the responsibility of actively shaping the emerging new world order.

Recalling that the EU has constantly struggled with crises since she began her term, von der Leyen said, “90 days after I took office, the World Health Organization declared Covid-19 a global pandemic. Before we could fully recover, Putin attacked Ukraine. Shortly after, we entered the worst energy crisis in our history when Putin cut off the gas. Now we are experiencing a transatlantic crisis. Yes, the crises followed one another.”

The Commission President noted that these challenging periods have also pushed the EU to focus on fundamental issues. “The essential thing is to keep the 27 member states together and provide direction. I must have or develop a plan for every crisis. It’s important that we act very pragmatically and quickly because people expect Europe to be there for them,” she explained.

‘Historic changes are happening, geopolitics is back’

When asked what has changed with the start of Trump’s second presidential term, von der Leyen replied, “Historic shifts.”

Reminding that the EU grew inward for a long time, achieving successes like the single market, common currency, and free movement, von der Leyen assessed, “We assumed that economic and political freedom would eventually converge and unite people. When the wall fell in 1990, the end of history was declared. Now history, and with it, geopolitics, is back.”

Von der Leyen described the current situation as “what we perceived as world order turning into world disorder,” citing the power struggle between China and the US, along with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “imperialist ambitions,” as the primary reasons.

Stating that a different EU is needed in this new era, von der Leyen said, “A new European Union is required, one ready to actively shape this new world order together, willing to open up externally.”

‘The West as we know it is gone, but Europe is not alone’

Responding with a laugh to the comment on whether the change in US policy was a surprise for Europe and if it could be perceived like “malicious abandonment in old divorce law,” von der Leyen stated, “Europe has now woken up, completely.”

The President underlined that the EU needs to advance in two areas: “building its own defense capability” and “increasing its own competitiveness.”

Von der Leyen noted a strong political momentum and willingness within the EU to find creative ways forward, stating, “Allocating €800 billion in financial resources for military capabilities was unthinkable a few years ago. The desire of all 27 member states to strengthen our common defense industry would also have been unimaginable without the developments of recent weeks and months. The same applies to the economy. Everyone wants to follow our plan to increase competitiveness because everyone understands that we must stand firm in today’s globalized world.”

When reminded of EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas’s words after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was excluded from the White House – “The free world needs a new leader” – and asked if she was that leader, von der Leyen stated she dislikes such categories.

The official said, “What is decisive for me is that Europe strongly shapes the new world order that is slowly taking form, together. And I firmly believe that Europe can do this.”

Von der Leyen made a striking observation, saying, “The West as we knew it is no more,” and added: “The world has also become a sphere geopolitically, and today our networks of friendship span the entire globe; we notice this in the trade tariff dispute as well.”

She mentioned a positive side effect: she has met numerous leaders worldwide who want to build the new order together with the EU. “From Iceland to New Zealand, Canada to the United Arab Emirates, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Mexico, South America… I could currently hold such talks 24 hours a day. They all want to trade more with Europe, and it’s not just about economic ties. It’s also about setting common rules and predictability. Europe is known for its predictability and reliability; this is seen as something very valuable again recently. On the one hand, this is very pleasing; on the other, it’s a great responsibility we must fulfill,” she stated.

US relations and trade war

Asked whether “the West as we know it being gone” signifies a final break from the US, von der Leyen replied, “I am a great friend of the United States, a convinced transatlanticist. I absolutely believe that the friendship between Americans and Europeans will continue.”

However, the President noted the new reality is that many other countries are seeking closeness with the EU. “13% of global trade is with the US. That’s a lot. But trade with other countries in the world constitutes 87%. And they all want predictability and reliable rules. Europe can provide that. We must now use this momentum to open new markets for our companies and build the closest possible relationships with many countries that share our interests,” she said.

Addressing the trade tariff dispute with the US, von der Leyen stated the EU is pursuing a four-pronged strategy: “First, we are seeking a negotiated solution. Parallel to negotiations, we are developing countermeasures that consider both trade in goods and services. All options are on the table. Second point: We must be very careful that Chinese goods do not flood our market due to the trade war between the US and China. We have protective measures for this. Third point: We must build new partnerships and broaden the base of our trade relations. Fourth point: We must remove barriers in the internal market, deepen it, and harmonize it.”

Noting that the US particularly points to the surplus in goods trade, while the EU wants to balance the deficit in digital services, von der Leyen said, “Here we are talking about a few US companies that dominate about 80% of digital services. Europe is a very interesting, wealthy market for them. 450 million people with a high level of prosperity and time compared to the rest of the world. So, enormous revenues and profits are generated here with digital services. No company wants to give up this market.”

When reminded that possible countermeasures include imposing tariffs on digital services and US Vice President JD Vance’s threat, “If you touch our tech giants, the nuclear shield goes,” von der Leyen responded, “Both we and the Americans are putting our options on the table. That is the essence of negotiations: nothing is agreed until everything is agreed. I think we have the right to present the full spectrum, whether we are trading industrial goods or digital products.”

NATO and Ukraine

Nevertheless, when asked if the US nuclear shield for Europe and Article 5 of the NATO Treaty are still valid, von der Leyen said, “Yes, we assume so.”

Regarding whether Europe can protect Ukraine from losing the war against Russia without major US support, the Commission President emphasized that Putin failed in his goal of capturing Kyiv in three days and Ukraine in three weeks.

Von der Leyen assessed, “One of Putin’s justifications was that NATO was too strong, according to him. What he achieved was Finland and Sweden becoming NATO members. At the beginning of the war, Ukraine was an almost unarmed country. Today, when you see not only Ukraine’s highly equipped and experienced troops but also its extremely efficient, rapidly producing defense industry, it’s impressive. So, this country has bravely resisted with the help of its friends. It is very, very important to have staying power. Because Putin counted on support for Ukraine diminishing from the start. The exact opposite happened.”

Arguing that Europe needs to invest more in its defense industry, von der Leyen added, “Currently, the lion’s share of military equipment purchased by member states comes from outside Europe. This also means that the related good jobs, research, and development are generated outside Europe. I want more of this to happen within Europe in the future. These could also be American companies developing and producing in Europe. What’s important is that the billions we are investing now also have a positive impact on the European economy, far beyond the defense industry.”

Green Deal and bureaucracy criticisms

At the same time, stating that climate change will remain an existential issue, von der Leyen expressed that the EU will not abandon its Green Deal goals.

The official said, “Global decarbonization will continue, with or without the Americans. There’s a good reason why the Chinese are investing so heavily in electric mobility; they know the mobility of the future will be clean mobility. There’s a good reason why the Gulf countries, sitting on oil and natural gas, are investing heavily in green hydrogen. Because they know where the global trend is heading. We are leaders in many clean technologies.”

Expressing her determination regarding the planned expansion of the Emissions Trading System (ETS) to include transport and buildings (ETS 2), von der Leyen stated it is a smart market-based tool, but its social impacts must be mitigated from the outset.

Responding to the criticism that the EU is synonymous with bureaucracy, von der Leyen attributed this to the decision-making processes requiring consensus among 27 members but affirmed their commitment to changing unnecessary and complex procedures. “Entrepreneurship in the European Union must become easier again, that’s the goal,” she stated.

Concluding the interview, von der Leyen said she wanted to offer an “ode” to Europe: “Europe is still a peace project. We don’t have ‘cronies’ or oligarchs setting the rules. We don’t invade our neighbors and punish them. On the contrary, there are 12 countries on the waiting list to become EU members. In Europe, children can go to good schools regardless of their parents’ wallets. We have lower carbon dioxide emissions, higher life expectancy. We can discuss controversial topics in our universities. I believe these and more are values worth defending and show that Europe is more than just a union. Europe is our homeland. And people know this, people feel this.”

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