Strife between allies will ‘only embolden’ adversaries, EU chief warns US

STRASBOURG: EU chief Ursula von der Leyen warned Wednesday that tensions with the United States over Greenland would embolden rivals of the West, describing President Donald Trump’s threat to slap tariffs on European allies as “wrong”.

“If we are now plunging into a dangerous downward spiral between allies, this would only embolden the very adversaries we are both so committed to keeping out of the strategic landscape,” von der Leyen told European lawmakers in Strasbourg.

“We are at a crossroads. Europe prefers dialogue and solutions – but we are fully prepared to act, if necessary, with unity, urgency and determination.”