EU’s Von der Leyen: Europe Must be Responsible for its Own Security

Europe must be responsible for its own security, European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday.

“This is no longer an option. It is a must,” she told the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

She added that Europe “cannot afford to let others define its worldview,” adding that while the US national security strategy is right to say that Europe’s share of global GDP is declining, the United States is on “the same path.”

The European Council meets on December 18 and 19 to discuss in particular the need to support Ukraine, transatlantic relations and the EU’s strategic autonomy.