In a measured tone, the President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, has chosen to respond to the toughness of US President Donald Trump not with retaliation, but with warnings that the European Union is reducing its dependence on the world's leading economic power. In her highly anticipated speech at the main auditorium of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Von der Leyen announced the most ambitious common market project in the history of European construction, in addition to the recently signed one with Mercosur. "We are about to close an agreement with India to create a market of 2.000 million people." The German leader has stated that she will travel to the powerful Asian country this weekend and, "although there is still work to be done," she has been very optimistic about India's full openness to European products, which implies reciprocity.
Von der Leyen has ensured that this will be the next step with Mercosur, in addition to other free trade agreements with Malaysia, the Philippines, the United Arab Emirates, or Malaysia. Europe is thus turning to free trade and gaining influence in the world's growth centers in response to the clash with Trump. The German leader has avoided attacking the US President but has declared Greenland's sovereignty under Danish control as "non-negotiable." She has offered "collaboration with the US" to strengthen Arctic security. However, she has criticized the US President's announcement as a "mistake" and has stated that if extra tariffs are imposed on the EU, "the response will be firm, united, and proportional." She has criticized Trump's threats of new obstacles to European trade after the agreement reached last year to set limited tariffs: "When two allies shake hands, that should mean something." Therefore, she has cast doubt on whether the White House will actually attempt these additional tariffs.
"We must have a sense of urgency in EU independence," the German leader emphasized to the audience. She was applauded when she criticized Vladimir Putin for "not wanting peace," but she acknowledged Trump's role in this case for "promoting an agreement."
Following Von der Leyen, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng took the floor, also avoiding confrontation with the US. "Frictions are normal, but the attitude should always be respectful and based on equal treatment."