US should respect EU’s internal political processes— Bloc’s leader

(MENAFN) European Council President Antonio Costa on Monday called on the United States to respect the European Union’s internal political processes and democratic choices, speaking at the Jacques Delors Institute’s annual conference in Paris.

“If we are allies, we must act as such — and allies do not threaten to interfere in each other’s domestic political life and democratic choices,” Costa said, referencing Washington’s recently released National Security Strategy.

He noted that while Europe and the US remain partners, their worldviews are diverging and they “no longer share” the same vision of the international order.

“We remain defenders of multilateralism. We believe in an international order based on rules, we believe in science, we believe in scientific freedom, and we don’t ignore global challenges such as climate change,” he said.

Costa argued that the US no longer embraces multilateralism or a rules-based order and suggested some in Washington dismiss climate change as a “lie.”

“What we cannot accept is this threat of interference in Europe’s political life,” he warned. “The United States cannot replace European citizens in deciding which parties are good and which are bad. The United States cannot substitute itself for Europe when it comes to our view of freedom of expression.”

He also reaffirmed Europe’s firm position on the war in Ukraine.

“We cannot accept that Ukraine’s sovereignty, its right to self-determination, and its restored borders be called into question,” Costa said. “If that can happen there, imagine what could happen here in Africa. So this is not just a European issue — and that is what Europe must understand: the world is not only the United States and China.”

Costa stressed that the EU must strengthen its role as a “commercial power” to secure influence and credibility on the global stage.

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