Von der Leyen: Europe must be responsible for its own security

Over the past year Europe has done more for defence than in the last decades, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, speaking in the European Parliament, as quoted by Report's European bureau.

She noted that over the last decade, Europe invested EUR 8 billion in the defence fund and will enable up to EUR 800 billion of investment until 2030.

The European Commission president said Europe is transforming its defence industrial base into one that can deliver cutting-edge technologies and fast mass production in the cauldron of war.

"This week's European Council is about facing the reality of the moment. The reality of a world that has become dangerous and transactional. A world of wars. A world of predators. The reality of this world means we, Europeans, must defend ourselves and we must depend on ourselves," she said adding that yesterday's peace is gone and there is no time to indulge in nostalgia.

"We, Europeans, cannot afford to let the worldviews of others define us. None of us should be shocked by what others say about Europe. But let me say this, it would not be the first time that assumptions about Europe were shown to be outdated," she said.

Von der Leyen also drew the attention to changes in world economy.

According to the National Security Strategy, Europe has been losing share of global GDP – down from 25% in 1990 to 14% today, and the figures for the USA are on the same path - from 22 % in 1990 down to 14% today, while China's share of global GDP went up from 4% in 1990 to 20 % today.

"So our task at this week's Summit is to show that we are focused on our strategic interests and our priorities. I want to repeat what I said in this very spot during my State of the Union address – this is Europe's independence moment," von der Leyen said.

She noted that Europe has already made progress not only in defense but also in energy. As part of REPowerEU, Russian gas imports – LNG and pipeline – are down from 45% at the beginning of the war to 13% today; coal imports, from 51% to now zero; and on crude oil, from 26% to 2%.

She said this will become a template for the way forward, in the sphere of critical raw materials, diversification and strengthening supply chains.