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1st LD Writethru: EU, U.S. need to cooperate in facing Ukraine crisis: European Council president

Xinhua, February 7, 2015 Adjust font size:

The European Union (EU) and the United States need to stand shoulder-to-shoulder to confront the worsening situation in Ukraine, said European Council President Donald Tusk ahead of a meeting with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden on Friday.

Tusk said the EU and the United States should coordinate their efforts and "uphold the pressure on Russia for as long as necessary."

In Biden's words, "Russia cannot be allowed to redraw the map of the EU, and that's exactly what it's trying to do."

Another international challenge facing the EU and the United States is extremism and terrorism. As a result of these phenomena, the two parties need to intensify counter-terrorism dialogues, and continue to work closely in addressing global threats, Tusk said.

"We cannot let them change our ways of life," said Biden, concerning the need to defeat the radical group Islamic State (IS).

Biden also visited the European Parliament (EP) in Brussels, where he met with EP President Martin Schulz.

"In recent years, the transatlantic relationship has been tested. Yet, there is much more that unites us than divides us," said Schulz about bilateral relations with the United States. Endit