URSULA VON DER LEYEN—President of the European Commission: “The
state of our Union is stronger than ever. Yet it may also seem more precarious than ever.”
Paraphrasing the words of Charles Dickens, the President of the European Commission took the podium at the European Parliament and, with this very realistic observation, she opened her State of the Union address, setting the course for the coming year.
With wars raging and wreaking havoc on economies and markets alike, Ursula von der Leyen initially turned her spotlight on the energy and oil chaos caused by the conflict in the Middle East. Chaos that has proven that the 27 member states’ weaning off fuel imports is imperative, since all we’ve been doing in recent months is digging deep into our pockets.
Ursula von der Leyen—President of the European Commission“
Since the start of the conflict in the Strait of Hormuz… our imported fossil fuels have cost us an additional 90 billion euros… without providing us with a single extra unit of energy. That is why we must step up our efforts… toward affordable and domestically produced clean energy.”
Another major concern is the situation in Ukraine—specifically, Russia’s hybrid threats and drones in European airspace, which are becoming an everyday occurrence. Such actions demand a response, which is why she is promoting the idea of establishing a “European Security Council”—a NATO-style security mechanism.
Ursula von der Leyen—President of the European Commission: “The time has
come for Europe’s ‘Article 4.’ An Emergency Security Protocol. When activated by a member state… all member states come together to coordinate a European response to prevent further escalation.”
At the same time, he threw the Union’s doors wide open to Canada, heralding a new, broader, and comprehensive strategic partnership. The name of this initiative is “Alliance for the Future,” as she announced in the presence of the Canadian Prime Minister.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
URSULA FON DER LAYEN—President of the European Commission
“Dear Mark, I would like to work with you to pave the way for Canada to become the first associated member of the European Union.”
See Yiannis Xenophontos’s report:
READ ALSO: The EU paves the way for Canada to become its first associate member; von der Leyen’s proposal for a European Security Council | AlphaNews
