Von der Leyen identifies two major reason Russia is most direct threat to world order

Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission has identified two major reasons Russia is currently the most direct threat to world order.

Von der Leyen said Russia is the most direct threat to world order because of its barbaric war against Ukraine and its worrying pact with China.

She stated this at a press conference during the EU-Japan summit in Tokyo on Thursday.

“Russia is today the most direct threat to the world order with a barbaric war against Ukraine and its worrying pact with China and their call for new, and very much arbitrary, international relations,” she told reporters after talks with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and European Council President Charles Michel in Tokyo.

Von der Leyen and Michel are in Tokyo for the 28th EU-Japan summit, during which their support for Ukraine was high on the agenda.

Also speaking to reporters, Michel said, “Our cooperation in Ukraine is critical in Europe, but it’s also important in the Pacific and we also want to deepen our consultation on a more assertive China.

“We believe that China must stand up to defend the multilateral system that it has benefited from in developing its country.

“Those responsible for war crimes must be and will be brought to justice.”

This is coming less than a week after the EU proposed a ban on Russian oil amid the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.