site.btaEC President Says It Is Time to Build European Defence Union Ensuring Peace through Unity, Strength

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen gave a speech at the European Parliament Plenary joint debate on European Council meetings and European Security in Strasbourg, France on Tuesday. "This is the moment for peace through strength. This is the moment for a common defence. We have started to mobilize Europe's massive resources. In the coming weeks and months, more courage will be necessary," she said.

„We are facing a crisis of European security. But we know that it is in crisis that Europe has always been built,“ von der Leyen underlined.

She added that if the European Union manages to unleash its industrial power, it will be able to restore deterrence against "those who seek to do us harm". 

„The European security order is being shaken, and so many of our illusions are being shattered“, she said and gave an example of how after the Cold War, some believed that Russia could be integrated in Europe's economic and security architecture, while others hoped that we could rely indefinitely on America's full protection.

She added due to this Europa has lowered its guard, cut its defence spending from routinely averaging more than 3.5% to less than half of that. „The time of illusions is now over. Europe is called to take greater charge of its own defence. Not in some distant future but already today“, added von der Leyen.

„It is time to build a European Defence Union that ensures peace on our continent through unity and strength. This is Europe's moment. And Europe will rise to it. Thank you, and long live Europe“, von der Leyen said.