While the US and China are in conflict about the origin of the virus, Europe, together with Japan and Canada, has raised money to develop a vaccine. Under the leadership of the European Commission, 40 countries, various organizations and individuals raised 7.4 billion euros on Monday for the development of a vaccine. The US and Russia did not participate.
Von der Leyen deposited 1.4 billion on behalf of the committee. France 1.5 billion. Germany, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and Canada put around 500 million on the table. Japan nearly 800 million and the Netherlands 192 million. In total, forty countries, organizations and individuals contributed. For example, singer Madonna accounted for 1 million. The proceeds are for the development of a vaccine, a Covid-19 drug and the production of tests.
In the pre-Trump era, the US would have always been at the forefront of action like this. Now the American chair remained empty. Instead of demonstrating leadership in a multilateral fundraiser, the US has been in the news continuously over the past few days seeking confrontation with China about the origin of the virus.
Europe meanwhile tried to shape a kind of coalition of the willing for multilateral cooperation. While the US, China and Russia block each other in the Security Council and the US puts patriotism before globalism under Trump, it has been suggested to form opportunity coalitions of - preferably democratic - countries that do see something in global cooperation. The vaccine is very suitable for such an approach. Collaboration may lead to breakthroughs faster, is important in the large-scale production of a vaccine and necessary to ensure its distribution.