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Ursula von der Leyen has declared that the EU needs to activate its collective security provision “into practice,” presenting the union as a viable substitute for Nato as a safeguard for its member states.
The European Commission president emphasized the necessity for the EU to be “prepared as a whole” to protect itself and capitalize on the “European resurgence” in military expenditure, prompted by Russia’s aggression towards Ukraine and Donald Trump’s skepticism regarding Nato’s cross-Atlantic security commitments.
This statement highlights the extent of Europe’s reconsideration of its internal security strategy, following Trump’s instigation of concerns about Washington’s dedication to safeguarding the continent. In the preceding month, the US president issued an invasion threat against the Danish territory of Greenland.
“I am convinced that the moment has arrived to operationalize Europe’s collective defense provision,” von der Leyen declared at the Munich Security Conference this past Saturday. “Collective protection is not a discretionary responsibility for the European Union. Rather, it constitutes a duty . . . our shared pledge to support one another should aggression occur. To put it plainly, it is a matter of unity: each for the benefit of all, and all for the benefit of each.”
“As the saying goes in Ukraine, adapt or perish,” she further stated. “We, too, must embrace this principle.”
Article 42.7 of the EU’s treaty mandates that other member countries furnish “support and help through every available resource at their disposal” should “a member nation suffer armed hostility within its borders”.
Given that nearly all EU member nations also belong to Nato, this provision has traditionally not been regarded as a crucial element of their defense framework. Its activation has occurred solely on one occasion, initiated by France following the 2015 terrorist assaults in Paris.
Von der Leyen characterized Europe’s oversight of its internal safety as an “unpleasant reality” which has now “undergone a fundamental transformation”.
“Europe must heighten its efforts and embrace its obligations,” she affirmed.
“Confessedly, a degree of drastic intervention was necessary, and certain boundaries have been traversed that are now irreversible,” she continued. “The European lifestyle, our democratic bedrock, and the confidence of our populace are facing novel forms of contention. This spans from geographical domains to trade duties and technological governance.”
Von der Leyen further stated that the EU ought to “institutionalize the nascent, provisional security partnerships” involving nations such as the UK, Norway, Iceland, and Canada, participate in defense alliances which might not encompass all 27 of the union’s constituents, and advance military proficiencies.
“A robust European foundation of strategic assets must be cultivated: comprising space, intelligence, and long-range offensive capabilities. No conventional barrier should remain unexamined,” she asserted. “Our collective preparedness is imperative.”