The world cannot be divided into spheres of influence by annexing territories or using of energy flows. This is according to a joint declaration of US President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Angela Merkel signed in Washington on Thursday. The text of the document was published by the White House, TASS reports.
"We commit ourselves to defending an open world. Across the globe, all nations must be free to determine their political futures free from foreign interference, coercion, or domination by outside powers," the leaders of the two countries state.
"As two nations whose economies depend on the free transit of goods around the world, we affirm the critical importance of the freedoms of navigation and overflight and other lawful uses of the sea, consistent with international law. This vision is unachievable in a world carved into competing spheres of influence and we will resist attempts to create them, be it through attempts at territorial annexation, control of digital infrastructure, transnational repression, or weaponized energy flows," the declaration says.
The declaration stresses that "all nations must be free to determine their political futures free from foreign interference, coercion, or domination by outside powers."
The U.S. and Germany also promise "to work together to ensure that the rules, norms, and standards that govern emerging technologies are channeled toward freedom rather than repression."
"As technology reshapes our citizens’ lives, our national economies, and our geopolitical environments, it must reflect our core democratic values," according to the document.