Despite the difficult economic and political relations with the USA in the Trump era, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini said on Friday 31 August that Washington remains the EU's best ally.
"The United States are the closest partners and friends we have always had and that does not change", she said from Vienna, at the end of the informal meeting of European foreign affairs ministers.
"There are some issues on which we have clear divergences and we are very clear and frank on this. But there are also many other on which our cooperation continues to be excellent and key for the success of our common work", she said, taking the example of North Korea.
Austria's Foreign Affairs Minister Karin Kneissl (whose country currently holds the rotating presidency of the EU Council) was more moderate, saying that there are subjects such as "south east Europe" on which the EU and US can cooperate.
Kneissl, who recently provoked controversy by hosting Vladimir Putin at her wedding, said that Austria and other member states were currently doing "their utmost to create a different atmosphere, better rapprochement". (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)