Brussels: Europe and the Arabs

The European Union institutions in Brussels released a statement late Thursday evening summarizing remarks made by President António Costa following the informal meeting of the European Council. The statement read: “The European Union and the United States have always been partners and allies. We have built a historically strong transatlantic community, rooted in shared values ​​and dedicated to the prosperity and security of our peoples.

We believe in the necessity of managing relations between partners and allies in a friendly and respectful manner.
Europe and the United States have a shared interest in the security of the Arctic region, particularly through working within NATO. The European Union will also play a stronger role in this region.

In this context, I want to state very clearly: the Kingdom of Denmark and Greenland have the full support of the European Union. The Kingdom of Denmark and Greenland are the sole decision-makers regarding their own affairs.

This reflects our unwavering commitment to the principles of international law, territorial integrity, and national sovereignty, which are fundamental principles for Europe and the international community as a whole. These principles will continue to guide our actions.
In this context, yesterday’s declaration not to impose The United States' decision not to impose new tariffs on Europe is a positive step. Additional tariffs would have been inconsistent with the EU-US trade agreement. Our focus should now be on moving forward with the implementation of that agreement. Our goal remains to achieve effective stability in EU-US trade relations.

At the same time, the EU will continue to defend its interests and will defend itself, its Member States, its citizens, and its companies against any form of coercion. It has the capacity and the tools to do so, and will do so whenever necessary.

Looking ahead, we remain ready to continue a constructive dialogue with the United States on all issues of common interest, including creating the conditions for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.

We have serious concerns about several provisions of the Peace Council Charter relating to its scope of work, its governance, and its compatibility with the UN Charter.

We are ready to work with the United States on implementing the comprehensive peace plan for Gaza, through a Peace Council acting as a transitional administration, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2803. I conclude by reiterating that the European Union It focuses on achieving an ambitious agenda for our citizens: in the areas of defense, competitiveness, and building a more strategically independent Europe.

Therefore, the upcoming leaders' meeting, on February 12, will be a strategic brainstorming session dedicated to strengthening the single market in a new geoeconomic context.