The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, explained, on Thursday 9 July, that cooperation between the EU and the USA must be adapted to the new security challenges.
“The EU and the US share many strategic interests. We work closely together. Yet our cooperation must adapt to meet the challenges of this century”, he explained in a speech recorded for the EU Defense Washington Forum. He recalled that the US and the EU were “essential and natural partners”.
According to the High Representative, the transatlantic partnership has helped to create a more stable, peaceful and prosperous world order. In the face of new threats and new actors who challenge these gains, it is more important than ever to build on the relationships of the past half century to protect this legacy. “Let's continue to work together and protect our common values” he said.
The High Representative explained that international cooperation was essential to address new security threats and that the transatlantic community should be a central pillar in this effort and be ready to defend its values and interests.
And while recalling that NATO would remain the cornerstone of European collective defence and that there was no alternative to it, Mr Borrell explained that the EU was aware that its partners around the world were asking it to play a role as a “provider of global security”. The era of a somewhat “naive” Europe is coming to an end, he said, adding that “soft power” alone was not enough and that it had to be complemented by “hard power”. He therefore explained that the EU was doing more for its own defence and security, in particular through permanent structured cooperation projects or the European Defence Fund. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)