European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday called for a stronger and more independent Europe as she warned of an increasingly hostile world marked by Russia's war in Ukraine, conflicts in West Asia
STARSBOURG — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday called for a stronger and more independent Europe as she warned of an increasingly hostile world marked by Russia's war in Ukraine, conflicts in West Asia, economic competition with China, rising energy costs and growing threats to European security.
In her annual State of the European Union address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, the French city that hosts the European Parliament's plenary sessions, von der Leyen also referred to Europe's response to threats to Greenland, without naming US President Donald Trump, whose administration has repeatedly expressed interest in taking control of the Danish autonomous territory.
The EU has previously voiced solidarity with Denmark and Greenland and stressed the importance of territorial integrity and sovereignty.
She also highlighted the impact of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on Europe's energy security, saying imported fossil fuels had cost the bloc an additional 90 billion euros since the start of the conflict, without adding any energy supply.
Von der Leyen said Europe must reduce its dependence on imported fossil fuels, China and other external suppliers, while strengthening its defence capabilities, industries and internal market.
"The state of our Union is the strongest it has ever been. The state of our Union can also feel as precarious as it has ever been," she told lawmakers.
The EU chief also proposed an "Emergency Security Protocol", modelled on NATO's Article 4, under which a security incident in one EU member state could trigger consultations among all member states to coordinate a response, deter further escalation and mitigate its impact.
Separately, she said the EU should establish a European Security Council involving partners including Canada, Norway, Ukraine and the UK.
The annual State of the European Union address is one of the European Union's key political events. The practice began in 2010 and Wednesday's address was von der Leyen's sixth.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola presided over the debate, while Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney attended as a guest of honour.
She said the EU and Canada would move beyond their existing trade relationship towards an "Alliance for the Future".
Von der Leyen used the speech to argue that Europe must become more capable of acting independently as traditional alliances and assumptions about the international order come under strain. "In this world, Europe has chosen to forge its own path. And a stronger, independent Europe is now emerging," she said.