// LEADERS' VIEWS
ANTÓNIO COSTA, PRESIDENT, EUROPEAN COUNCIL
Principles, partnerships and power: the EU’s response in challenging times T he world is changing fast. It is increasingly less predictable and more brutal. It is also becoming tilateralism – we need alliances. Which brings me to the second P of Europe’s answer to the current world: partner- ships …
and predictable partner. In today’s unpredictable world, this is a major strategic asset. That is why our part- ners are reaching out to us. We already have the world’s most extensive net- work of trade agreements. Recent agreements with Mercosur and India, covering more than two billion people, are a clear example of this strategy … And we are in the process of nego- tiating, concluding or ratifying trade agreements with a further 27 other countries. Instead of tariffs, Europe offers win-win outcomes. And the potential for cooperation extends beyond trade, including, for example, security and defence, or in the fields of technology, or artificial intelligence. Instead of spheres of influence, we build networks of economic and politi- cal cooperation … The strategic goal is clear: to create a new international bal- ance through partnerships. To be strong and respected and to play its full role in this new world, Europe needs to accelerate its inter- nal homework. Which brings me to the third P: power. And that has two pillars: first, com- petitiveness; to boost and strengthen our economy; and second, defence … Both these areas will increase our resil- ience and strategic autonomy. Without them, Europe will not be able to be an autonomous player, an effective pro- vider of stability, a solid champion of multilateralism … There is a growing awareness that global problems will not be solved by one power deciding alone. Nor will they be solved by two powers dividing the world into rival spheres of influence. We live in a multipolar world, where both North and South are plural. And this multipolar world requires multi- lateral solutions and multipolar partnerships. And Europe must and will be at the centre of those solutions. Excerpts of address at Sciences Po, Paris, 24 March 2026, supplied by the Cabinet of President Costa.
more multipolar. More and more, middle-size powers aspire to play a role. Every day, emerg- ing economies expand in scale, in confidence and in power. It is the com- bination of both – an erosion in the respect for international law and a growing multipolarity – that is most relevant for us today, most relevant for the European Union. What should be the role of the EU in this context? Principles, partnerships, and power. Starting with principles: … it is in our fundamental interest to ensure that the world remains rules-based and cooperative. It is in our fundamental interest to avoid further global frag- mentation. The opposite of cooperation is con- flict, the opposite of rules is chaos, and that is what we have today. Because the alternative to rules and coop- eration is the war in Ukraine, the alternative is the war in the Middle East, including the dramatic humani- tarian situation in Gaza, the alternative is the war in Sudan, and in different parts of the world. And the alternative is also disruption to international trade and threats to the prosperity of our citizens. That is why, since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the European Union has acted with a determination that many believed impossible. From the first day, we have supported Ukraine politically, financially, diplomatically, and militar- ily. We will continue to do so, as long as it takes to achieve a just and last- ing peace. That is why the war in the Middle East is so concerning … Our principles must be clear. And we must be steadfast and coherent in their defence. But that is not enough. For Europe to effectively defend international law in practice, and to strengthen mul-
The European Union is an economic superpower and remains a powerful magnet: attracting partners, shap- ing standards, and engaging others through cooperation rather than force. And as the European Union weaves more and more partnerships, it strengthens the fabric of multilater- alism – reinforcing cooperation across the entire system, in all directions … The United Nations must be reformed – but it cannot be replaced. It must remain the cornerstone of the multilateral system. It is the only forum with universal legitimacy and the capacity to sustain effective mul- tilateral cooperation. The European Union needs to join efforts with those countries that reject spheres of influ- ence and want power politics to be kept in check by international law. And they are in the majority. The European Union is a reliable
16 // G7 FRANCE: THE ÉVIAN SUMMIT 2026
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