Commission President Ursula von der Leyen became one of the first foreign leaders to congratulate Joe Biden early on Saturday evening on his victory in the US presidential election.
In a statement, she said that she looks forward to meeting him at the earliest possible opportunity.
Von der Leyen congratulated Biden as soon as the electoral process was over without waiting for Trump to concede or the outcome of the legal process he intends to launch.
The battle ground state Pennsylvania announced earlier in the evening that Biden had won the 20 electoral votes in the state, giving him a majority of 273 votes, prompting US media to declare Biden the winner.
“The European Union and the United States are friends and allies, our citizens share the deepest of links,” the statement reads. “Together we have built an unprecedented transatlantic partnership rooted in common history and shared values of democracy, freedom, human rights, social justice and open economy.”
“This partnership has underpinned the liberal rules-based international order for decades and remains a pillar of stability, security and prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic. As the world continues to change and new challenges and opportunities appear, our renewed partnership will be of particular importance.”
President-elect Biden is expected to reach out to all Americans in his acceptance speech later tonight, listing the major challenges ahead for the US in tackling the country’s economic-political problems, and pave the way for a return to normalcy after Trump’s divisive presidency. One task will be to restore friendly and constructive relations with the EU and the rest of the world.
The European Commission stands ready to intensify cooperation with the new Administration and the new Congress to address the pressing challenges we face, von der Leyen says.
She mentions, in particular, fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic and social consequences, tackling climate change together, promoting a digital transformation that benefits people, strengthening our common security, as well as reforming the rules-based multilateral system.
The Brussels Times
