EU leader cites Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to warn against China’s aggression in Asia

By JIM GOMEZ
Associated Press

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The leader of the European Union’s executive commission has warned against China’s increasingly assertive actions in disputed Indo-Pacific waters and against Taiwan by citing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU wouldn’t tolerate aggression in either region. Von der Leyen spoke on Monday at a news conference with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. after talks in Manila aimed at bolstering trade, economic and security relations. The leaders announced the 27-nation bloc would resume negotiations on a free trade agreement that stalled in 2017 under Marcos’s predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte. Von der Leyen stressed that Russia’s war in Ukraine showsd how authoritarian leaders “are willing to act on their threats.”