13 Mar ZEITGEIST On the Cutting Edge

What we are talking about: When Ursula von der Leyen stated on March 9, 2026, during a meeting with EU ambassadors in Brussels that Europe needs a “more realistic and interest-driven foreign policy,” it was initially an international affairs statement.

In fact, she was describing a principle well known in negotiation: successful negotiations start with clearly defining your own interests. Von der Leyen argued that Europe can no longer rely on the existing rules-based international system to automatically protect European interests or shield the continent from threats. In doing so, she raised a question that must be asked in any negotiation: What do we actually want to achieve?

In international conflicts, usually only the visible positions are clear – political demands, diplomatic statements, or military measures. But behind these positions lie interests such as security, economic stability, influence, or domestic political pressure. This is why a key principle in modern negotiation is: focus on interests, not positions. Behind every position is an interest, and interests often allow for multiple solutions. Von der Leyen’s call for an “interest-driven” policy follows exactly this logic.

Her call for an interest-driven approach is more than just a geopolitical strategy – it describes a principle of successful negotiation. Whether in diplomacy or in business:

• Those who defend only positions block solutions.
• Those who understand interests open possibilities.

The best negotiators, therefore, do not try to be stronger than their counterpart. They strive to understand everyone’s interests better than anyone else in the room.

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