by N. Peter Kramer
‘It is a new beginning for the EU-US global partnership’, tweeted (yes, she does too) Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, after she had a phone call with US President-elect Joe Biden. The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, also spoke with Biden and welcomed his strong commitment to America’s allies and his support for European cooperation. Michel thanked the President-elect for his support regarding the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement the EU concluded with the UK in the context of the Brexit-negotiations.
Biden, originating from Irish immigrants, was always anti-Brexit, ignoring the fact that (three times) the Brits clearly chose independence from the EU’s often Kremlin-like rule over the incoherent Union. But, of course, this is grist to the mill of the frustrated Eurocrats, who do not accept that a country wishes to be independent from their near-heavenly thoughts about their Brussels hegemony.
The President-elect also talked with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, UK’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson, French President Emanuel Macron and the head of the transatlantic NATO defense alliance Jens Stoltenberg. Guess which two upper Eurocrat’s phones did not ring to their dismay? European Parliament’s President David Maria Sassoli’s and the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission (are you still there?) Josep Borrell’s.
And Josep, he had done the upmost. In his remarks in an EP Plenary about the normalisation agreements between Israel and United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan, he succeeded in not mentioning the role of that ‘damned’ Trump and his administration, especially Secretary of State Michael Pompeo. Borrell did also not mention that last Sunday Pompeo brought together Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Although Israel and Saudi Arabia have maintained secret ties for years, this was the first time such a high level was reported. All incredible and historic breakthroughs in the Middle East.
The intent of Israel and its new Arab allies is clear, they wish to isolate Iran, the country that is the greatest threat to stability in the Middle East. But it seems that Joe Biden would like to restore the US connection with Iran. I bet the EU will follow him blindly.
