site.btaEuropean Council President: Europe Must Be United to Be Subject of Global Politics

Sofia, May 16 (BTA) - European Council President Donald Tusk gave a news briefing at Sofia's NDK convention centre on Wednesday ahead of Thursday's EU-Western Balkans Summit, which he and Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov will co-host. Tusk told reporters that in the new global game, Europe will either be one of the major players or a pawn; in order to be the subject, and not the object, of global politics, Europe must be united economically, politically and militarily like never before. "Either we are together, or we will not be at all," he added.

He said that the Leaders' agenda dinner on Wednesday will begin with a debate on innovation and the digital economy. "Europe is lagging behind other major economies in terms of innovation. Innovation is set to impact our lives at an ever-growing pace over the coming years, raising not only hopes but also ethical questions. Europe needs to play an active part in this transformation, as it will be the reality of all Europeans," Tusk said.

"Following last week's announcement of the United States withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran, we need a united European front. I want leaders to reconfirm that the EU sticks to the deal as long as Iran does. The deal is good for European and global security, which is why we must maintain it, despite the US hesitation," the European Council President noted.

Trade is another topic to be discussed at the informal dinner, he went on to say. "We will decide on the best way forward in EU-US trade relations. Here again, unity is our greatest strength. And my objective is simple: we stick to our guns. This means a permanent exemption from US tariffs on aluminium and steel if we are to discuss possible trade liberalisation with the US. The EU and US are friends and partners, therefore US tariffs cannot be justified on the basis of national security. It is absurd to even think that the EU could be a threat to the US," he said.

"Besides traditional political challenges such as the rise of China, or the aggressive stance of Russia, we are witnessing today a new phenomenon: the capricious assertiveness of the American administration," Tusk also said. "Europe must do everything in its power to protect, in spite of today's mood, the transatlantic bond. But at the same time we must be prepared for those scenarios, where we will have to act on our own. We have enough potential to rise to the challenge, but what we need is more political unity and determination," he argued.

Tusk told reporters that Thursday's meeting with the EU's Western Balkan partners collectively is the first of its kind in fifteen years. In his words, this will be an opportunity for both sides to reaffirm that the European perspective remains the Western Balkans' geostrategic choice.