Good afternoon and welcome to the Atlantic Council. Thank you for joining us. I am the present ceo of the council. Madam, high representative, a sellout crowd. They are bursting out the doors and i think this underscores ath the recognition we face historic moment in history for europe and the transatlantic relationship, long before the november elections, and that whate are eager to hear report youve given us from your trip thus far and also answer their questions and my questions as moderator on broader issues in the transatlantic relationship which we, of course believe is the cornerstone for all u. S. Engagement with the world. We would like to think of ourselves as the home for europe and washington, d. C. And thus i am honored to welcome a high representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and to ready policy and Vice President of the european commission, madame high representative, thank you for coming to your home away from europe. We had a fascinating discussion last month at the World Economic forum and it was apparent to everybody at that time that we are facing a particularly important time. We are very interested to hear your comments and enter into discussion with you. I am pleased to welcome ambassador Christian Silverberg who will formally introduce our european guests. Ambassador silverberg manages the institute of international finance. As a former u. S. Ambassador to the European Union under george w. Bush, she brings special perspective to this dialogue. Without further review it is a great honor to be here at the Atlantic Council to the high representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs on Security Policy and Vice President of the european commission. She is mentioned, visiting washington at a time of some come up and anxiety about the future of the transatlantic relationship. In the circles we run in it will be challenging for even the most ist toined transatlantic prevent our societies from overwhelming power aspirations but i think our values will prove durable if we can demonstrate to skeptical voters on both sides of the atlantic we can address challenges together. The threat of terrorism, the catastrophe in syria, the risks pathwayn will pursue a to a nuclear weapon. I addresses these ness and we are fortunate to hear from her. The floor is yours. [applause] that is a lot of people. It is a lot of people and not a few cameras. I need not say we are on the record. I representative, you said your mission for this trip was to identify Common Ground. Heard comments from the administration and during the questions at times the existence of the European Union but we at the Atlantic Council have heard the opposite as well in our dealings with people within the administration. After your meetings and washington, d. C. Over the last and an impressive seven senators and secretary of state Rex Tillerson and National Security advisor mike flynn and others, which i think underscores the importance of the leaders of the administration but i wasnt in the meeting. It would be interesting for us to hear what your takeaways were, what did you hear about that was reassuring, are you returning to europe changed in any of these views . I would love to hear your trip report. First of all, thank you for the invitation. I was afraid you were going to say my home away from home and i was confused if my home is now rome or brussels. But indeed for me it is home. I was remembering the first time i can to the council. It was as a member of the Italian Parliament in the assembly and this was already, that then, my home away from europe so it is great to be here. Thanks to all of you for coming. With a sudden dose of optimism so i dont have to change my mind on that. I said i was coming, first of all, to show that on the european side there is a strong and deep belief in the fact that across the atlantic we are friends. Our peoples are friends. Do a lot of things together, from trade and investment to foreign policy. And also to reach out at an early stage with the new administration. And also with congress. That is why so many meetings on the hill, because it seems to me that in those moments we need to talk from our european side to the difference in the u. S. I come back from this trip with a positive impression. They world good, very good. I dont know what the next meeting will be about, so what i am receiving is a message is first of great attention from my toerlocutors in washington the work of the European Union and a clear message we want to continue working together. This is the same message i am bringing here, so all good. Host the one name i failed to mention enlisting your meetings was jared kushner, the special advisor to the president. He is taking on quite a bit of responsibility for the middle east. I dont expect you to reveal private conversations but in these meetings to give you a feeling of what priorities would be for the administration or the individuals who you talk to in the administration . One of the purposes of these were also, from my side, to make clear which priorities we having europe. Tot was, i think, important do at an early stage because it seems to me that policies in washington in this moment are still in the making. And that we have a space for defining together at an early stage in a very pragmatic manner in which field we have common interests or priorities. Fields wech other might have a different approach, different priorities. Something can be very important for us and less important here or on some issues where we might disagree. I have the impression that before i said all good, meaning our meetings were good and all mieses all messages were good. But i would not pretend we do not have different views on some issues. So what i can tell you is where european priorities are and where Common Ground can be found and maybe where we have different approaches. I see Common Ground in the strong intention to Work Together. If i have to believe in all the messages i heard during my meetings that is clear to me. Stronged cooperation, euu. S. Cooperation and work. Understanding well, i think, i ii come attributed contributed to this understanding in these two days, that European Union is not an institution, it is 28 Member States. Second, some Common Ground on some of our priorities that are common priorities. ,he fight against terrorists the ambassador mentioned this. Solving the crises we have around us and globally. The situation in the east of ukraine, syria, terrorism, not only the middle east but also spreading spreading in some parts of africa. We have for sure work that we can do together there. We have, on the european side, Top Priorities where we might find some different views across the atlantic today. How to face the middle east process. We share the priorities and might have differences on how we face them. And i cai am very open and not hiding any of the difficulties. Whereht have other issues we see, as europeans, we need to issue as a priority but. Aybe here, not so much climate change, free trade, free and fair trade and an International Global system of trade. Maybe human rights issues. But it is not for me to define the american agenda that i understand is still in the making. What i can do is to bring the european agenda, put it on the table and in a very pragmatic, constructive, friendly, maybe transactional approach, see where we can Work Together where we might have differences and how we make the most out of this partnership. Among the things on which we might have different views is the global approach to migration and refugees. And the list could continue but i see Common Ground, common work and i understand that many policies are still in the making. I forgot to them i forgot to mention one very important thing on which i found some Common Ground, which is the new weird cpoa. With iran, g to me that is a priority preserve the deal, have a strong u. S. Commitment to its full of limitation which means strict and limitation is either in place or not. And i come back with some reassurances on this. Host i saw you tweet that earlier. I also tweak and do it myself. Host so even more room for Common Ground. Even if i am considering starting to make my team check my tweets. [laughter]. Ost i wont comment maybe you can talk a little bit about the iran conversation. What did you hear that you found reassuring . Myi heard from all stockholders, the intention to make sure that the deal is 100 implemented. Parties, whichll means mainly iran on its Nuclear Commitments but also the International Community to fulfill the commitments that are agreed in the agreement, in the deal, and for me personally this is a very important thing to do because i still have special institutional role in chairing the joint commission that overviews the and limitation of the deal. That is not a bilateral deal. That is now belonging to the International Community. Through the u. S. Security Council Resolution that endorses it. For me to important pass the message that i think was clearly understood, that it is key for our security as we are in the same region of iran to see the deal implemented as it is now. One year after the implementation day we had four reports on its commitment to iran. This is important for europe. This is essential for europe. And there are other issues where we share concern with the u. S. Administration and many others in the world that are not related to the Nuclear Program of iran, also related to the nuclear agreement. The role of iran in some regional conflicts starting from , support ofia terrorist activities, the missile tests and things like that. They would add human rights on that penalty. I know this is a different story here but it is important for us. As europeans we have our sanctions in place for nonnuclear related issues. In some cases our sanctions are tougher than the american ones. So we also are concerned about some of the things expressed. But what is clear to us as europeans, altogether and what i also conveyed here in my feels anis that europe interest and a responsibility to engage with iran, especially as long as the nuclear deal is fully implement it on their side. We would continue to engage in dialogue, inical the corporations we had started. This is the european policy and it will continue. We have onesided and fermentation one side of implementation to speak to that. , nonnuclearoncern iran and whereon we have different policies on the previous administration, the case with iran is one of engagement. That can continue and i think it is very important that iranian citizens here this. Host thank you for that. On russia, we have heard different statements at different times from the administration and the president. The administration signaled the u. S. Sanctions against russia would remain in place. On the other hand, there seems to be a desire to significantly improve the relationship with russia. This, extent you can have tell us how this came up in your conversations and where do you see potential commonalities and differences on the issue of russia in particular . Weird if i can just have a reflection, thinking aloud the first time i came to washington and rather being questioned on the eu positions on russia or syria, i was questioned about the u. S. Positions. Host could you please tell us what the position is . [laughter] im not sure i can. Some things i do im not sure if it is appropriate for me but that is interesting. That mye first time main focus of my visit to washington is bilateral relations rather than and this is the new era we are entering in. On russia, first of all, for europeans, its clear we have a twotrack policy with russia. There are five on which we work very well with russia. The iran deal is a perfect example of that. The middle east process is where palestine is on example where the europeans and russians work well together with similar views. The other issue where we work well together. This perception that europe doesnt talk to russia is a misperception and a couple of years ago we would have been asked if we were not talking to much to the russians so things change. We have a strong policy and principled policy when it comes to the ukraine. This is very serious to us. Not only for the situation in the east of ukraine itself and in crimea, but also because for us europeans its essential to understand each other, especially across the atlantic. On the basic vital principle that you do not change orders by force. This is a must for our cooperation. The transatlantic this has never been put into question. And i believe this is related not only the principles of International Law, which is, but also its matter of security for europe, and i believe that many of my european fellow citizens in the east of our continent are potentially a bit nervous about question marks that could be put here on this approach. Meetings were positive and in particular, we agreed minsks long as the agreements are not implemented sanctions would not remain in place. But i dont know if this is going to be the policy and as you were not in my meetings i was not in the oval office when President Trump called president clinton. But for us this is an essential point and i believe that this is not a Central Point not only for europeans but in congress this is an essential point as well. Host and if there is a thought of some sort in your relationships between u. S. And russia, which is a possibility even if sanctions should remain in place, do you foresee the eu resultswill have the and stay firm on sanctions under the current circumstances . I think the europeans will continue to be united on that. I dont know if americans will be united on that but europeans will. Us, the sanctions are not a policy itself. It is not something we take particular pleasure in having. For us it is an instrument to put pressure and achieve results. And the result is keeping the sanctions. , especiallyiscussed with secretary tillerson, how we can better help the current implementation of the minsk agreements. The real objective is to achieve peace in the ukraine with respect to International Law and also in crimea. So the european position is clear. I am confident it will continue because allin unity have that over the years that on europeans to divide themselves on this and i think this will continue to be the case, it can also have a lot for the u. S. I can say i was receiving reassuring messages but i dont know if there would be divisions in the u. S. On this. Host im going to ask one or two more questions and go to the audience. You have said the eu is ready for a transactional way of working the United States. Guess, at the Atlantic Council the notion of a transactional relationship of the transatlantic partners would seem a step backwards. So, would you think this is sufficient and what do you mean when you say transactional way . Guest i have a feeling this is a moment in history where we have to where were called to avoid giving it for granted, that people understand the add ed value of our friendship, which is said, i agree. I preferred to have the partnership, friendship based on this automatic with hat in the last years of turning to each other and agreeing things to do naturally. But if there is a need to need for our friendship to be in place the added value of the European Union to america, then we are ready to do so. Do awe are ready to to sick things that in the Atlantic Council are self evident that maybe we need to stress them again. One is the economic relation we have. 80 of Foreign Investments in the u. S. Come from europe, the European Union. 80 , not 18, 80. I think we are bringing a couple million more jobs in america with european investments. Many think you cannot find states in the United States that are not giving having 300,000400,000 jobs created in europe, from europe, in america. If this is a transactional way of doing things i dont know, but we need each other. And it is not europe that needs america only. It is america that need europe and we had better realize that, to have a serious conversation. The other thing is security. And even if europe the European Union is not nato and theo not and cannot make organizations overlap, there is a big elephant in the room. That is the investment in our common security. Started well, we before the november elections. Last summer, to work very seriously on strengthening the european trends within the European Union. And to me it was very strange because i spent months from july , november even, reassuring washington and the other side of brussels that this was not to undermine nato but as a strengthening force to nato. And now i am explaining it is good. This is going to be the european way. When i put this in the transactional box, you know that article five was invoked only once and that was after 9 11, and europeans have carried the commitmentour common to security in the world. Through nato but also through other means, the European Union is a security provider a