Joe Biden and EU Leaders Agreed to Jointly Defend Democracy

President Biden held first joint talks with leaders of all 27 EU member states. The European Union and the United States agreed to jointly defend democratic values during a virtual summit with President Joe Biden and EU leaders, Agence France-Presse reported Thursday. “By standing together, shoulder to shoulder, the EU and the US can demonstrate that democracy best protects citizens by promoting self-esteem and prosperity,” European Council President Charles Michel tweeted. Biden held his first joint talks with the leaders of all 27 EU member states, declaring his desire to restore relations with the bloc, spoiled by his predecessor, Donald Trump, a supporter of protectionism. Biden said the United States wants to create a united front of Western democracies to counter the growing power of authoritarian powers led by China, stressing that the European Union should participate in this democratic coalition. EU leaders welcomed Washington's commitment to working together. On Monday, both sides took the first step towards joint action against Beijing by announcing the simultaneous imposition of sanctions in response to the crackdown on Uyghurs in China. Earlier this week, the EU and the US also agreed to suspend the reciprocal duties imposed under Donald Trump over a trade dispute between US Boeing and European Airbus. The EU is also interested in working with the US to tackle the coronavirus pandemic and climate change. According to Agence France-Presse, Donald Trump did not hold joint negotiations with all the leaders of the European Union at the same time. However, his predecessors Barack Obama and George W. Bush took part in similar meetings.