EC President von der Leyen: The West, as it was known, no longer exists

The West, as everyone knew it, no longer exists after Donald Trump's return to the Oval Office, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in an interview with Zeit newspaper.

"The West as we knew it no longer exists," von der Leyen said when asked about a possible leadership role. The EU in the Western world.

Von der Leyen claims that she currently has to conduct countless conversations with heads of State and government from all over the world.

"Everyone is asking for the expansion of trade with Europe, and it's not just about economic ties. It is also about establishing common rules and predictability. Europe is known for its predictability and reliability, which is now again perceived as something very valuable. On the one hand, this is very encouraging, but, on the other hand, of course, there is also a huge responsibility that we must justify," the head of the European Commission believes.

At the same time, von der Leyen added that she remains a staunch supporter of the transatlantic partnership and believes in preserving friendship between Europeans and Americans.

On April 2, US President Donald Trump signed a decree imposing "reciprocal" duties on imports from 185 countries, their base rate is 10%. And for 57 countries, since April 9, increased rates have been earned, which were calculated based on the trade deficit of the States with a specific country — so that there would be a balance instead of a deficit. However, on April 9, Trump announced that more than 75 countries had not taken retaliatory measures and had requested negotiations, therefore, for 90 days, basic import duties of 10% would apply to everyone except China.