‘West as we knew it no longer exists,’ warns von der Leyen amid Trump tensions

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said that “the West as we knew it no longer exists,” pointing to what she described as “historic” changes in the global landscape following Donald Trump’s US presidency.

Von der Leyen comments came amid rapidly deteriorating relations with the US under Trump’s administration, which has forced Europe to look elsewhere for allies and partners.

In the wake of Trump’s sweeping tariffs—condemned by Brussels as “neither credible nor justified”—European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has been actively engaging with international partners, holding talks with officials from Norway, Iceland, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates.

She has also spoken with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, a move that has sparked speculation about a potential thaw in EU-China relations after years of strained ties.

“The world has become a globe also geopolitically, and today our networks of friendship span the globe, as you can see in the debate about tariffs,” Euro News quoted von der Leyen as saying to German newspaper Die Zeit in a wide-ranging interview published on Tuesday.

“Right now, I could have these conversations 24 hours a day. 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. Europe is known for its predictability and reliability, which is once again starting to be seen as something very valuable,” she was quoted as saying.

“On the one hand, this is very gratifying; on the other hand, there is also of course a huge responsibility that we have to live up to,” said von der Leyen.

Describing herself as a “great friend” of America and a “convinced Atlanticist,” von der Leyen maintained that the transatlantic bond remains strong — despite the upheaval triggered by Trump’s presidency, from disruptive trade policies and disdain for multilateralism to annexationist rhetoric and a pivot toward Russia that strained traditional alliances.

When asked whether the US is still a friend, a former friend, or an adversary, she declined “these kinds of classifications,” acknowledging instead that the relationship is “complicated.”

Von der Leyen stopped short of directly criticising Trump — his name came up only in the interviewer’s questions — but she hinted at a rejection of the America he is trying to shape through his wave of executive actions, Euro News reported.

“Europe is still a peace project. We don’t have bros or oligarchs making the rules. We don’t invade our neighbours, and we don’t punish them. On the contrary, there are twelve countries on the waiting list to become members of the European Union. That’s about 150 million people,” she said, referring to the accession process.

“In Europe, children can go to good schools, however wealthy their parents are. We have lower CO2 emissions, we have higher life expectancy. Controversial debates are allowed at our universities. This and more are all values that must be defended, and which show that Europe is more than a union. Europe is our home. And people know that,” she added.

She defended the EU’s position on regulating US digital services even in the face of threats of removing US nuclear umbrella.

On the subject of European security, she issued a stark warning about Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying “While Putin may pause every so often, there is no limit to his imperial ambitions,” underscoring what she described as existential threats facing the European Union.

According to The Guardian report, what’s is notable is that the interview – originally conducted in German - was translated for the newspaper by von der Leyen’s office – as if she and her team wanted it to be more widely read across Europe and beyond.

Either way, her comments come a day after the EU appeared to be growing frustrated with the lack of engagement on the US side when it comes to resolving the tariffs standoff, with commission spokesperson telling reporters that the bloc needed “an additional level of engagement from the US to keep the ball rolling forward.”

With inputs from agencies