European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned that the world is undergoing a lasting geopolitical transformation, and the established world order has been irreversibly changed. She said this in a speech at Keio University in Tokyo, where she received an honorary doctorate, quoted by Politico, BTA reports.
Against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine and global trade conflicts, particularly provoked by US President Donald Trump, Von der Leyen called for an awareness of reality and a rejection of illusions.
„We simply cannot delude ourselves that the storm will pass and the world will return to its previous state. Geopolitical contradictions are too strong, and the foundations of our security and prosperity — too unstable“, she said.
She stressed that the way Europe and the world respond today will shape the rest of the 21st century. According to her, the “transactional diplomacy“ approach introduced by Trump, as well as the growing threat from Russia, have changed the way the EU perceives its role in global security.
“Europe is stepping up. In recent months alone, we have proposed investments in defense that seemed unthinkable until recently,“, von der Leyen said.
She added that the EU is putting industry, innovation and technology at the heart of its economic strategy.
The EC President was accompanied in Japan by the President of the European Council Antonio Costa and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaia Kallas. They took part in the EU-Japan summit, where security and the strategic partnership between the two countries were among the main topics.