The BIC remains strongly committed to the strength and increased cooperation of the transatlantic partnership, following the outcome of the EU-US Summit. On Tuesday, 15 June 2021 Joe Biden had his first official meeting as President of the United States with the European Union. This summit marked the first meeting between the two partners since 2017. The United States reaffirmed its commitment to the transatlantic partnership and agreed to work strategically with the European Union to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, to invest in trade and technological innovation, and to work as a global leader in combating climate crises. Most significantly the renewed EU-US partnership will aim to build a stronger, more secure world that upholds the democratic principles that the EU and US are founded upon. This included the intent to partner in a Summit for Democracy, establish an EU-US high-level dialogue on Russia, work hand-in-hand for sustainable de-escalation in the Eastern Mediterranean, and join efforts for a stable and secure Middle East and North Africa.
“From a US perspective, the summit yielded a very positive outcome. A renewed and strengthened EU-US partnership can only make the two partners and their allies better equipped to tackle the challenges our world faces today. The willingness of the US and EU to stand together to increase global security and bolster humanitarian efforts around the world is a testament to the strength of the European Union and the United States, who are only stronger together. The threats that the world faces, including conflict, climate change and loss of democratic values must be prioritized through the EU-US partnership.” According to BIC Middle East Analyst, Elisa Cherry.
“Over the past years, structural factors and toxic political rhetoric pushed the two sides of the Atlantic further apart. The most anticipated visit from Joe Biden to the EU, however, symbolized a turning point of this strategic relationship, with some concrete outcomes intending to bring the two sides closer. Such efforts however need to be complemented by the rekindling of the meaningful strategic dialogue between both sides in the spirit of complementarity and shared leadership. The EU, in particular, needs to be more present in transatlantic leadership to prevent transatlantic relations from going back to square one. There is nothing easy about keeping the better part of two continents together, agreeing on everything from top-level strategic challenges to the basics of coordinating policy implementation and multinational operations. But more than anything, the outcomes from the EU-US Summit of Tuesday 15 June showed that both sides are willing to find a common ground on both tactical and strategic differences.” said BIC Strategic Adviser on Conflict and EU Politics, Fernando Aguiar.