European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has underlined the European Union's "unwavering commitment" to international law and the multilateral system, two days after she invited controversy by declaring the 27-member bloc could "no longer be a custodian for the old-world order, for a world that has gone and will not return".
That speech, delivered on Monday morning at the annual conference of ambassadors, met a mixed reception: von der Leyen's defenders said it was a much-needed dose of realpolitik, but critics said it risked giving permission for Europeans to turn a blind eye to legal breaches.
