Every fairy tale has a good old-fashioned villain. In the context of modem politics, China and Russia seem to be deemed as such. No matter what threats are looming on the horizon, they must have something to do with these countries.

For this reason, one can hardly be surprised to hear the news that the US and the EU plan to take a tougher stance on Russia and China, the biggest troublemakers in the political arena. During a meeting with European Union officials in Brussels, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen urged the allies to come together as a "unified front". "Together, we need to counter threats to the principles of openness, fair competition, transparency, and accountability. These challenges include China’s unfair economic practices, malign behavior, and human rights abuses. The more we confront these threats with a unified front, the more successful we will be," she pointed out. Yellen also stressed that by no means should they ignore the ongoing human rights violations in Belarus and the unfriendly behavior of Russia that is getting even more visible.

In her speech, the US Treasury Secretary continues the policy of President Joe Biden, who seeks to establish transatlantic ties that worsened significantly during Donald Trump’s presidency. The former president started a trade conflict with the European Union and had little interest in the problem of human rights violations. The United States calls on the European Union to cooperate more closely on the economy, taxation, and climate issues.