The European Central Bank published a joint statement, signed by President Christine Lagarde on behalf of the ECB Governing Council and a group of other central bank leaders, expressing full solidarity with the Federal Reserve System and its Chair Jerome H. Powell and defending the principle of central bank independence. The statement describes central bank independence as a cornerstone of price, financial and economic stability and calls for its preservation with full respect for the rule of law and democratic accountability. It also praises Powell’s integrity and focus on his mandate, with signatories including the governors of the Bank of England, Sveriges Riksbank, Danmarks Nationalbank, Swiss National Bank, Norges Bank, the Central Bank of Iceland, and central banks in Australia, Canada, Korea, Indonesia, Brazil, South Africa and New Zealand, alongside the Chair and General Manager of the Bank for International Settlements. Other central banks may be added to the list of signatories later.