Melike Pala
21 January 2026•Update: 22 January 2026
BRUSSELS
Europe stands at a crossroads as the international order continues to erode, and while the EU prefers dialogue and negotiated solutions, it is fully prepared to act with unity, urgency, and determination if needed, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday.
Addressing the European Parliament, von der Leyen warned that recent global developments show the shift in the international order is not temporary but permanent, requiring Europe to adapt quickly while defending international law and democratic principles.
"We are at a crossroads. Europe prefers dialogue and solutions – but we are fully prepared to act, if necessary, with unity, urgency, and determination," she said.
Von der Leyen warned that the world is increasingly defined by raw power and said Europe must strengthen its own levers of power, including a strong economy, a competitive single market, and technological and innovation capacity.
Addressing tensions in the Arctic, she underlined that Greenland is not merely a strategic territory rich in resources but "above all, home to a free and sovereign people."
"The future of Greenland is only for Greenlanders to decide," she said, reaffirming Europe's alignment with the US on Arctic security within NATO while rejecting the use of security arguments to justify additional tariffs between allies.
"If we are now plunging into a dangerous downward spiral between allies, this would only embolden our very adversaries," von der Leyen warned.
She also highlighted the EU's expanding global trade partnerships, including a recently signed agreement with the South American Mercosur bloc and ongoing negotiations with India, arguing that diversified trade strengthens Europe’s independence and resilience.
- Law of strongest cannot prevail, says Costa
EU Council President Antonio Costa on Wednesday warned against the erosion of international law and rejected a global order based on power politics, stressing that violations of international law cannot be tolerated anywhere -- from Ukraine and Gaza to Greenland, Africa, and Latin America.
Addressing the European Parliament, Costa said the EU "cannot accept that the law of the strongest prevails over the rights of the weakest," underlining that international rules are not "optional and alliances cannot be reduced to transactional relationships."
"We cannot accept violations of international law. Anywhere. Whether in Ukraine, Greenland, Latin America, Africa, or in Gaza. We cannot accept violations of human rights -- whether in Iran, in Sudan, or in Afghanistan," Costa said.
Costa said Europe is facing unprecedented geopolitical challenges, including the ongoing war in Ukraine, growing pressure on the rules-based international order, and strains in transatlantic relations.
He outlined three pillars for Europe's response: a Europe of principles, a Europe of protection and a Europe of prosperity, noting that all three are currently being tested.
"Instead of tariffs, the European Union offers partnerships," Costa said, warning that further tariffs would undermine transatlantic relations and violate existing EU-US agreements.
