EU leaders warn of permanent global shift, urge unity amid rising power politics

European leaders on Wednesday issued a stark warning about the permanent erosion of the international order, urging unity and preparedness as the continent faces rising power politics and strains within alliances. Addressing the European Parliament, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated, “We are at a crossroads. Europe prefers dialogue and solutions – but we are fully prepared to act, if necessary, with unity, urgency, and determination.”

Arctic Sovereignty and Rejection of Tariff Coercion

Von der Leyen explicitly addressed tensions over Greenland, emphasizing that it is “above all, home to a free and sovereign people” and that its future is for Greenlanders alone to decide. She reaffirmed European alignment with the U.S. on Arctic security within NATO but firmly rejected using security arguments to justify tariffs between allies, warning that a “dangerous downward spiral” would only embolden common adversaries. Her remarks came amid ongoing U.S. threats to impose tariffs on European nations over their opposition to American ambitions in Greenland.

Defending International Law and Rejecting Power Politics

EU Council President Antonio Costa echoed the call for principles, warning that “the law of the strongest cannot prevail over the rights of the weakest.” He stressed that violations of international law—whether in Ukraine, Gaza, Greenland, or elsewhere—are unacceptable and that alliances cannot be reduced to “transactional relationships.” Costa outlined a three-pillar response centered on a “Europe of principles, protection, and prosperity,” emphasizing that “instead of tariffs, the European Union offers partnerships.”

Strategic Autonomy Through Diversified Partnerships

Von der Leyen highlighted the EU’s expanding trade network, including the recently signed Mercosur agreement and ongoing negotiations with India, as tools to strengthen European resilience and strategic autonomy. Both leaders framed a stronger, more sovereign Europe—built on a competitive single market, technological capacity, and principled diplomacy—as essential for navigating a world increasingly defined by raw power and geopolitical fragmentation.