By Victoria Friedman
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Dec. 17 that the post-war era of peace is gone and Europe must depend on itself and defend itself in an increasingly dangerous world.
Von der Leyen said in a speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France: “Europe must be responsible for its own security. This is no longer an option. It is a must.
“We know the threats that we face, and we will confront them. This means we need to be ready. We have to develop and deploy new capabilities so that we can fight a modern hybrid war.”
The commission chief outlined that the bloc had committed to 800 billion euros ($940 billion) in defense investment until 2030.
Europe is increasing its defense spending, not only because of its concerns about Russia, but also in response to the Trump administration’s urging that NATO allies pay more for their own security.
On June 25, NATO allies, which include the majority of European Union member states, backed a commitment to increase defense spending to 5 percent of gross domestic product by 2035.
Last month, the EU unveiled a provisional roadmap of four flagship defense projects, including a drone wall and fortification of Europe’s eastern border, as part of measures to boost defense by 2030.
Announcing the proposals on Oct. 16, European Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius said they are necessary to deter “Russian aggression, prevent war and preserve peace.”
Russia, however, has denied that it intends to invade European nations, many of which are in NATO. A Russian attack on a European ally could trigger the defense union’s Article 5—the mutual defense pledge—which views an attack on one ally as an attack on all.
Last week, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected such claims again, saying that allegations that Russia would attack NATO was “complete stupidity.”
Energy Independence
The commission president on Dec. 17 also outlined the bloc’s progress on energy independence.
She said that since Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the EU has been working to reduce its use of Russian fossil fuels.
Von der Leyen said that since 2022, the bloc’s import of Russian gas—both LNG and pipeline—is down from 45 percent to 13 percent. Crude oil imports from Russia are down from 26 percent to 2 percent, and coal imports have fallen from 51 percent to zero.
Earlier this month, the EU committed to plans to completely phase out the import of Russian gas and oil by 2027.
Funding Ukraine With Seized Russian Assets
The head of the bloc’s executive branch gave the speech ahead of a two-day European Council meeting starting on Dec. 18.
During the summit, leaders of the EU’s 27 member states will consider whether to use billions of dollars in frozen Russian assets being held in Europe to support the military and defense efforts for Ukraine for the next two years.
On Dec. 3, the commission unveiled two options for financially supporting Ukraine for 2026 and 2027: either EU borrowing or what the bloc termed a “Reparations Loan,” which would come out of these Russian assets.
Von der Leyen said on Dec. 17, “There is no more important act of European defence than supporting Ukraine’s defence.”
She said that both the International Monetary Fund and the bloc’s estimates show that Ukraine’s needs for the next two years equal around 137 billion euros ($161 billion), and that Europe should cover two-thirds, or 90 billion euros ($106 billion).
“This is not just about numbers, this is also about strengthening Ukraine’s ability to secure a real peace — one that is just, one that is lasting, one that protects Ukraine and thus also protects Europe,” she said.
According to the EU, the bloc and its member states have provided 187.3 billion euros ($220 billion) in support to Ukraine, including 66 billion euros ($78 billion) in military assistance.
