• European Council
• Speech
• 24 March 2026 09:30

Speech by President António Costa at SciencesPo - Paris School of International Affairs

Let me begin by thanking you for the invitation to speak with you today. It is a great pleasure to address such a diverse and vibrant audience here at SciencesPo, representing more than one hundred nationalities. It is comforting to see that in a constantly changing world, some things remain constant. And one of those constants is that the world still comes to Paris.

Let me start by a simple question. How do you see the state of international affairs? My simple answer is: growing disorder. But if we dig deeper, we see two main trends. The first is a reality in which the power of might prevails over the power of law. A world in which international law is systematically ignored. Where major powers violate peace and disrupt trade.

But there is an important second trend: the world is becoming more multipolar. More and more, middle-size powers aspire to play a role.  Every day, emerging economies expand in scale, in confidence and in power. It is the combination 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.

So, what should be the role of the European Union in this context? The answer comes with what I would call the three Ps:

1. Principles
2. Partnerships
3. and Power Starting with principles: the European Union must continue to support a rules-based international order, anchored in the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter. 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 fragmentation.

The opposite of cooperation is conflict, the opposite of rules is chaos, and that is what we have today. Because the alternative to rules and cooperation is the war in Ukraine, the alternative is the war in the Middle East, including the dramatic humanitarian 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 militarily. We will continue to do so, as long as it takes to achieve a just and lasting peace. That is why the war in the Middle East is so concerning. And in last week’s European Council we have made Europe’s principled approach clear:

• calling for de-escalation and maximum restraint, and full respect of international law by all parties
• strongly condemning Iran’s indiscriminate military strikes against countries in the region
• and demanding respect for freedom of navigation, and condemning any acts that threaten navigation through the Strait of Hormuz 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 multilateralism – we need alliances. Which brings me to the second P of Europe’s answer to the current world: Partnerships. The European Union needs to reinforce multilateralism by expanding its network of partnerships.

The European Union is an economic superpower and remains a powerful magnet; attracting partners, shaping standards, and engaging others through cooperation rather than force. And as the European Union weaves more and more partnerships, it strengthens the fabric of multilateralism - reinforcing cooperation across the entire system, in all directions.

This is precisely what the 27 European Leaders discussed during last week’s European Council meeting with the UN Secretary General. 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 multilateral cooperation. In support of it, the European Union needs to join efforts with those countries that reject spheres of influence and want power politics to be kept in check by international law. And they are in the majority.

The European Union is a reliable and predictable partner. In today’s unpredictable world, this is a major strategic asset. That is why our partners are reaching out to us. We must therefore continue expanding our global network. We already have the world's most extensive network 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 negotiating, concluding or ratifying trade agreements with a further 27 other countries. Just last night, the European Commission concluded negotiations with a long-standing ally, Australia, for a Trade Agreement and a Security and Defence Partnership.

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 political cooperation. We have tightened our bonds with like-minded democracies, including Canada, India, Brazil, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Norway, Iceland, Japan, South Korea, and South Africa. These multipolar partnerships, of the friends of the United Nations, are a way to join forces globally for peace and security, for climate action, for the protection of the oceans, for health and education. And the European Union should be the main animating force behind this effort. The strategic goal is clear: to create a new international balance through partnerships. To be strong and respected and to play its full role in this new world, Europe needs to accelerate its internal homework.

Which brings me to the third P: Power. And that has two pillars: first, competitiveness; to boost and strengthen our economy; and second, defence. European leaders agreed during their meeting last week on a 'One Europe, One Market' agenda. This is an ambitious action plan in the field of competitiveness, with clearly defined timelines to be implemented by the end of 2027, but mostly this year, in 2026.It covers:

• the completion of the single market
• systematically cutting red tape at all levels
• ensuring affordable energy prices
• industrial renewal and innovation, and reducing dependencies
• and mobilizing investment As for defence, in 2025 we established a strategy for Defence Readiness by 2030, we identified priority military capabilities; we created European instruments to finance them in common; and we have developed a joint defence industrial strategy to reduce our dependencies on non-European suppliers.

Both these areas – competitiveness and defence – will increase our resilience and strategic autonomy. Without them, Europe will not be able to be an autonomous player, an effective provider of stability, a solid champion of multilateralism. The rapid response from Greece, Spain, France, Italy and the Netherlands, sending military forces to protect Cyprus from the strikes in the recent days, is a clear example of the power of Europe, and principled European solidarity in action. As was the European defence of the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark in face of threats against Greenland.

The idea of strategic autonomy was controversial when it was first mentioned by President Emmanuel Macron in his Sorbonne speech in 2017. Today the world is changed, and this concept is now accepted by all and constitutes an important element of how we see the world and Europe’s place in it.

Distinguished Professors, dear students, to sum up: 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 multilateral solutions and multipolar partnerships. And Europe must and will be at the centre of those solutions. For this it needs the three Ps:

• First: principles, to remain a coherent, predictable, reliable, and respected international actor
• Second: partnerships, to strengthen the European Union’s global network and to put it at the service of effective multilateralism
• And third: power, to develop the tools to act more autonomously and effectively on the international stage Thank you.

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Topics
- Foreign affairs
- Institutional affairs
- Middle East and North Africa
- Russia's war against Ukraine
- Security and defence

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