Germany’s overseas minister says he hopes a reset of U_S_-European relations beneath the Biden administration can finish years through which Europe was primarily involved with “harm management.”
BERLIN — German International Minister Heiko Maas mentioned Tuesday he hopes a reset of U.S.-European relations beneath the Biden administration can finish years through which Europe was primarily involved with “harm management.”
Maas’ counterpart from Portugal, which could have taken over the European Union presidency when Joe Biden is inaugurated, mentioned Europe needs to be handled as a “full and equal associate” fairly than an enemy of the U.S.
Biden’s victory over President Donald Trump has been greeted with reduction in Europe, the place variations with the outgoing administration ranged from commerce tensions to protection spending, relations with China and how one can deal with Iran’s nuclear program.
Biden has made clear that he needs to “restore” the trans-Atlantic relationship, “and that’s urgently crucial,” Maas mentioned at a panel occasion in Berlin.
Current years, he mentioned, have been an train in “harm management” on worldwide diplomacy and points akin to local weather change. “Sufficient of that — with this, we aren’t doing justice to the challenges we face at current.”
“The outcome, as a result of the West wasn’t working collectively any extra, was that in lots of points a vacuum arose that was utilized by China or Russia,” Maas mentioned. However he cautioned that the Europeans “must get out of our seats” to know new alternatives, and provide to do extra themselves of their speedy neighborhood as a part of what he has termed a “ new deal ” with the U.S.
Germany holds the EU’s rotating presidency till the tip of December, when it’s going to hand over to Portugal.
Portuguese International Minister Augusto Santos Silva referred to as for brand spanking new talks with the U.S. on commerce relations. And he famous {that a} main objection to the Trump administration’s strategy was its language.
“We have been completely handled by our American mates, and the Trump administration, not as mates and allies however as adversaries and even enemies,” he mentioned. “And we have been at all times requested to decide on: both you might be with us, the People, or you might be with China.”
“After all we’re with the People, however not because the minor associate, not as a follower … it is a query of being a full and equal associate of america,” Santos Silva mentioned. Europe’s pursuits embody good relations with all world areas, he added.
