URSULA VON DER LEYEN, PRESIDENT, EUROPEAN COMMISSION // LEADERS' VIEWS
Security, resilience and strategic autonomy define Europe’s global agenda T he goal is to make ourselves more resilient, more sover- eign and more powerful – from Australia and more. Our network of agreements currently includes almost
tects our interests and advances our values. EU Ambassadors Conference, 8 March 2026 We said we would deliver the EUR 90 billion loan [to Ukraine] … We will dis- burse the first tranche of EUR 45 billion for 2026 still in this quarter … We also adopted the 20th sanc- tions package. And yes, the sanctions have a biting effect on the Russian economy. With inflation increas- ing and interest rates skyrocketing, the consequences of Russia’s war of choice are being paid for out of peo- ple’s pockets. So much so that the Kremlin responds in its usual way, by restricting the internet and free communication. So much so that Russians feel that they live behind an Iron Curtain once again, a digital Iron Curtain. But if history has one lesson, it is that all walls eventually fall … We all want the ceasefire in Iran and in Lebanon to hold, with the ulti- mate goal to re-establish peace and stability through diplomatic means … Our shared goal is now to see a lasting end to the war. This includes restoring full and permanent freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz without tolls. It is equally clear that any peace agreement will have to address Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programme … This is the second major energy crisis in the short span of four years … We must reduce our overdependency on imported fossil fuels and boost our home-grown, affordable, clean energy supply. From renewables to nuclear, in full respect of technology neutrality … Let us … switch to electricity – not just in transport, but also in industry and heating. This is not only a matter of affordability and competitiveness, but also of economic security. Thus, speaking of European independ- ence, this is the moment to electrify Europe. European Parliament plenary debate, 28 April 2026
50% of global GDP [gross domes- tic product]. And more than half of Europe’s trade is within our own net- work of deals … We want to expand this community even more … Our support to the UN and its Char- ter is an essential part of who we are … Of course, the UN system also needs reform. And when traditional formats reach a standstill, we need to look for creative ways of addressing the most serious crises of our times … We will continue to look at all ways to work together to deliver on our most pressing responsibilities and priori- ties. Most notably the reconstruction of Gaza and peace for Palestinians and for Israelis … We can build a foreign policy that makes us stronger at home, more influential globally and a better part- ner to countries around the world. A foreign policy that is a core pillar of European independence, that pro-
defence to energy, from critical raw materials to strategic technologies … We need to be prepared to pro- ject our power more assertively. For instance, to counter aggression and foreign interference with all of our tools – whether economic or diplo- matic, technological or military. Or by being much more pragmatic … We need to invest in the means to protect our territory, economy, democracy and way of life. This will be at the heart of our new European Security Strategy. In all our assets and policies, we must mainstream secu- rity considerations. In fact, security must become the organising principle of our action … from defence to data, from industry to infrastructure, from tech to trade … But standing on our own feet does not mean standing alone. We also want to work with trusted partners around the world. This is the core idea behind our Security and Defence Part- nerships with countries from across the world … [Ukraine is] a proud European nation that continues to fight for our free- doms, both as a future member of our Union and as Europe’s first line of defence … Europe will always stand with Ukraine – no matter what is hap- pening elsewhere … The war must end in a way that does not sow the seeds for future conflicts. And this is what we continue to work on every day – with Ukraine and with our partners – to deliver real long-term security for Ukraine … [Another] priority is trade and investment with the world. Because trade is not just economics, it is power ... Our trade network has never expanded so fast … We are diversifying our value chains for chips and clean tech with countries like India. We are diversifying our supply of critical raw materials from Latin America,
17 globalgovernancemedia.org
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online