In a bold and striking statement, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has declared that “the West as we knew it no longer exists,” signaling a fundamental shift in how the European Union views its geopolitical and economic relationships-particularly with the United States. Her comments, published in Die Zeit on April 15, reflect not just disillusionment with US trade policies under President Donald Trump, but also a recalibration of Europe’s strategic outlook in a multipolar world.

For decades, the transatlantic relationship between the United States and Europe was the bedrock of what was commonly referred to as “the West.” This alliance encompassed not only shared cultural and political values but also deep economic integration and cooperation through institutions such as NATO and the World Trade Organization. However, recent years have exposed growing fissures.

Under Trump’s administration, the US took an increasingly protectionist stance, culminating in sweeping tariffs-20% on all EU goods and 25% specifically on car imports. The EU retaliated in kind, introducing its own 25% tariffs on American products. Although Trump recently paused most global tariffs for 90 days, the damage to the trust and stability of transatlantic trade relations appears to be done.

Von der Leyen’s statement is a sobering acknowledgment that these tensions are not mere bumps in the road but symptomatic of a broader unraveling of old certainties.

“The world has become a globe also geopolitically,” von der Leyen said. In other words, global alliances are now increasingly defined not by ideology or history but by strategic interests, economic opportunity, and pragmatism. While she emphasized that the friendship with the US remains intact, she was clear that Europe must now look beyond traditional partners.

Indeed, von der Leyen highlighted a dramatic statistic: only 13% of global trade involves the United States, leaving a staggering 87% with the rest of the world. “Everyone is asking for more trade with Europe – and it’s not just about economic ties. It is also about establishing common rules and it is about predictability,” she said, underscoring the EU’s appeal as a stable and rules-based trading bloc.

Von der Leyen’s remarks also reflect Europe’s response to an increasingly fragmented global trade environment. Trump’s tariffs, framed as an effort to eliminate the US trade deficit, have been interpreted in Brussels as part of a larger strategy of economic coercion. His assertion that “the EU was formed in order to screw America” has only deepened European unease.

In this context, French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent call for European firms to suspend new investments in the United States resonates strongly. “What message would we send by investing billions… while they are hitting us?” Macron asked earlier this month, clearly aligning with von der Leyen’s more assertive stance.

This isn’t just rhetoric. The EU is now actively diversifying its trading partners, pursuing new bilateral deals across Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa. Trade agreements with countries like Vietnam, Chile, and Kenya are already in advanced stages or recently concluded. Brussels is also intensifying its strategic ties with democratic nations such as India, Australia, and Japan-seen as counterweights to both American unpredictability and Chinese assertiveness.

The shift is not solely economic. Von der Leyen hinted at a deeper ambition: reshaping global governance through shared values and rules. “It is also about establishing common rules and it is about predictability,” she said. The EU’s pitch to emerging markets and global middle powers is based on its commitment to regulatory stability, environmental standards, and human rights-all areas where the US has been perceived as inconsistent or regressive under Trump.

This emphasis on multilateralism and predictability is particularly appealing to countries wary of being caught in the escalating rivalry between Washington and Beijing. In contrast to the erratic trade wars and unilateral sanctions championed by Trump, the EU offers a less confrontational, rules-based framework for economic engagement.

When asked whether her comments signaled a “final farewell” to the US, von der Leyen was diplomatic, affirming her belief in continued US-EU friendship. But her framing made it clear: Europe is no longer willing to remain subordinate in a relationship that is increasingly seen as lopsided and unreliable.

This evolution in thinking may also have institutional implications. There are growing calls within the EU to build greater “strategic autonomy”-a concept that includes developing independent defense capabilities, reducing technological reliance on the US, and creating alternative financial systems to SWIFT for international payments.

While von der Leyen’s statement may appear to herald the demise of the West as a coherent political-economic bloc, it could also be interpreted as a call for its reinvention. A “West” that is no longer centered solely on US-Europe relations, but one that is more inclusive, multipolar, and adaptable to a rapidly changing global order.

However, this vision requires that the EU itself remain unified-something far from guaranteed. Internal divisions over trade, migration, and fiscal policy still threaten to fracture the bloc from within. Moreover, as the US heads into another contentious presidential election in November 2024, the future of transatlantic relations will once again hang in the balance.

Von der Leyen’s stark declaration is more than just a reaction to US tariffs-it’s a wake-up call. The world order shaped in the post-World War II era, dominated by a transatlantic partnership, is giving way to something new. Europe, no longer content to play second fiddle to Washington, is forging a new path-one that sees global engagement not as a luxury, but as a necessity for survival in a fractured world.

Whether this marks the end of the “West” or simply its evolution remains to be seen. But one thing is clear, the geopolitical map is being redrawn, and Europe is now holding the pen.

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Source: Weekly Blitz :: Writings