US, EU diplomacy chiefs discuss ‘ways to repair’ ties

BRUSSELS: The top EU and US diplomats discussed on Thursday on how to “repair” their ties under President Joe Biden as Brussels and Washington prepare to work in concert on a range of issues.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and Biden’s newly installed Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasised that transatlantic relations are entering a new chapter now that Donald Trump is gone – though accounts released of their call did not mention the former US president by name.

The two discussed “ways to repair, revitalise, and raise the level of ambition in the US-EU relationship”, with Blinken thanking Borrell for “the EU’s leadership in recent years,” according to a State Department statement.

“Renewing the EU-US strategic partnership” was the headline message passed, according to the European Commission’s statement.

It added that Borrell invited Blinken to attend a meeting of EU foreign ministers “at the earliest opportunity”.

The EU emphasised an exchange on “strengthening multilateralism and the rulesbased global system” and hailed the United States’ return to the Paris climate accord and the World Health Organisation.

The US put the stress on Washington’s “desire to work with the EU and member states to address shared challenges including Covid-19, climate change, transatlantic data flows and economic cooperation”.

In terms of “shared challenges,” the EU said “a number of foreign policy and security policy priorities” were discussed.