The European Union will have a "pragmatic" attitude towards the new administration of Donald Trump but "always" stand ready to defend its strategic interests against any unjustified measure, Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday in a speech that set the tone for how Brussels intends to engage with Washington in the next four years.

The European Union wants to engage and negotiate with U.S. President Donald Trump, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday, warning of the risk of a "global race to the bottom" using tools such as tariffs.

The European Commission chief did not explicitly mention the new US president or his trade policies, but underscored the number of American jobs tied to European trade.

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen declared Tuesday that Europe was ready to negotiate with US President Donald Trump but the bloc will also seek to improve ties with China