Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, has announced that if successful in securing a second term, she intends to transform the EU into a “defense union.” This proposal includes the development of a single defense market for the 27-nation bloc. Von der Leyen emphasized this plan during her speech ahead of the vote on her position within the European Parliament.
She explained that Russia continues its aggressive actions in Eastern Ukraine and is relying on Europe and the West becoming less resolute in their response. In light of these events, von der Leyen stated that “Europe will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes,” warning that “for the very first time, our liberty is at stake.” To protect European citizens, she believes it is now crucial to establish a genuine European union of defense.
The former German defense minister reassured that the EU must maintain control over its security and armed forces within member states while NATO remains “the pillar of our collective defense architecture.” However, von der Leyen’s vision for a more united European defense includes a single market for defense, joint investment programs in armaments, and common defense projects such as an EU-wide air defense system. She argues that the current EU defense sector is too “dependent on foreign allies,” with “spending on defense too low and ineffective.
In addition to these measures, von der Leyen also pledged to enhance cooperation in tackling cyber threats and foreign interference. She further expressed her intent to triple the number of European border and coast guards to 30,000. Von der Leyen’s leadership would also welcome new members, such as Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, and countries within the West Balkans.
Russia has accused the West of prolonging the conflict in Ukraine by continuing to provide weapons to Kiev. Moscow has dismissed allegations of imminent attacks on EU countries as “horror stories” and “nonsense.” The European Parliament will later decide whether to reappoint von der Leyen for another five years at the helm of the bloc, with her needing a majority vote or 361 out of 720 votes to retain her position.