Europe Von der Leyen promotes transatlantic partnership

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called for strong transatlantic relations regardless of the outcome of the US presidential election in November. The 65-year-old accepted the Czech and Slovakian Transatlantic Award (CSTA) at the Globsec security conference in Prague. In her acceptance speech, she recalled a video call with US President Joe Biden on the day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

"We immediately agreed on what our response to Putin's war had to be," said von der Leyen. Once again, Europe and America had stood "side by side on the right side of history". The politician appealed: "And that must not change - regardless of who will be sitting in the Oval Office next January."

In the polls, the US Democrat and incumbent Vice President Kamala Harris and the Republican candidate and former President Donald Trump are running neck-and-neck for the White House. In her speech, von der Leyen also called for Europe to take more responsibility for its own security. "It is in our common interest to secure raw materials, critical technologies and global trade routes."

The Globsec security conference, formerly held in Bratislava, is taking place in Prague for the first time this year. More than 2,000 guests from around 70 countries are expected to attend. Ukraine is also represented by a strong delegation. The Czech and Slovak Transatlantic Prize is awarded twice a year. Previous winners include former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright (1937-2022) and former Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg (1937-2023).

SDA