US President Joe Biden (r) meets European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (2nd l) and European Council President Charles Michel (3rd l), during an EU-US summit at the White House, on October 20, 2023 in Washington (AFP/OLIVIER DOULIERY)
President Joe Biden welcomed European Union leaders Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen to the White House on Friday for an EU-US summit meant to deliver a message of unity on both Gaza and Ukraine. , but which should not lead to an agreement on trade disputes.
The summit meeting comes against a backdrop of a multiplication of crises in the world, including the war between Israel and Palestinian Hamas. American and European leaders are keen to display a united front, pleading for the strengthening of their “strategic partnership”.
The President of the European Council Charles Michel arrived at the White House followed by the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. Mr. Michel and Ms. von der Leyen speak with Joe Biden separately. The discussions were to be followed by a joint press release but no press conference is planned.
Just like President Biden, Ursula von der Leyen linked the war waged by Russia in Ukraine and that of Hamas against Israel, saying in a speech Thursday that “these two crises, as different as they are, call for Europe and “America to take a stand and take a stand together” in order to “protect our democracies.”
Europeans and Americans are also seeking to avoid the opening of a second front with Lebanese Hezbollah and, beyond that, a regional escalation with unpredictable ramifications.
“It is particularly important that we redouble our efforts on both sides of the Atlantic to ensure that this conflict does not extend beyond its borders,” an undercover European official assured journalists before the summit. of anonymity.
According to him, the summit provides the opportunity “to send clear and unified messages to all parties to the conflict”: namely support for Israel and the sending of humanitarian aid to Palestinians stuck in Gaza.
– To reassure –
But they have to lead several fronts and one of the challenges of the summit is also to show continued strong support for Ukraine, at a time of some uncertainty in Washington due to the crisis which is paralyzing the American Congress.
US President Joe Biden during a meeting with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and President of the European Council Charles Michel, at the White House, October 20, 2023 in Washington (AFP/OLIVIER DOULIERY)
The American president, just returned from a perilous visit to Israel on Wednesday, spoke to the Americans on Thursday evening, telling them that the United States would be more secure “for generations” if they supported both Israel and Ukraine.
He is asking Congress for an additional budget of $105.85 billion to help these two countries, stand up to China and respond to the arrival of migrants at the southern border of the United States.
The stakes are high, because aid is hostage to this parliamentary paralysis and the United States is heading straight towards a new budgetary crisis, the “shutdown” on November 17.
Mr. Biden is increasing his pledges to his European partners to reassure them in this regard.
The Europeans are preparing a long-term aid package to support Ukraine worth 50 billion euros.
Also on the agenda is the sensitive issue of further involving third countries, through which Russia is trying to circumvent international sanctions.
– No agreement in sight –
These crises largely dominate this transatlantic summit, which should not lead, as hoped by the Europeans, to an agreement on commercial disputes between the two blocs, the negotiators failing to reach an agreement.
This particularly concerns American imports of European steel, targets of customs duties imposed in 2018 by the Trump presidency.
Steel, aluminum: American customs tariffs (AFP/Archives/Gillian HANDYSIDE)
Suspended in 2021, these could be reactivated if no agreement is reached before the end of the year.
The EU was also hoping for an agreement on essential minerals, necessary for the energy transition, but there too the discussions have not yet been concluded, according to a source close to the matter.
This involves removing discriminatory elements present in the major American climate plan (IRA) voted in the summer of 2022.
The Europeans had expressed hope that an agreement between the EU and the United States on steel and aluminum as well as on the supply of essential minerals could be announced at the summit.
Finally, faced with the climate emergency, the EU intends to put pressure on Washington, encouraging the United States to do more.
“We will also insist that one of the main agendas will be to push the United States to act on climate,” said the European official.
The Twenty-Seven agreed that the EU should defend, at the next COP28 in early December in Dubai, the elimination of fossil fuels burned without CO2 capture, with their global consumption peaking from “this decade”.
© 2023 AFP
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