State of the European Union address
The President of the European Commission wants a Union capable of choosing its own destiny, bigger and stronger.
Ştefan Stoica, 11.09.2025, 14:00
Europe must fight for its place in a world in which dependencies are ruthlessly weaponised, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said in her first State of the Union speech since her re-election, delivered said on Wednesday in Strasbourg. “The world today is unforgiving. And we cannot varnish over the difficulties that Europeans feel every day. They can feel things getting harder just as they are working harder. This must be Europe’s Independence Moment, to decide what kind of society and democracy we want to live in”, Ursula von der Leyen emphasized in the plenary of the European Parliament. She called for unity and solidarity between Member States, stressing the importance of Europe being free to choose its partnerships.
Regarding the war in Ukraine, Ursula von der Leyen insisted that Russia must pay reparations, as Moscow launched this conflict. The European official called for additional support for Ukraine, given that Europe has so far provided Kyiv with approximately €170 billion in military and financial aid. President Von der Leyen touched on an extremely sensitive subject and announced that, jointly with Ukraine and other partners, she would host a summit of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children. She also spoke about the situation of the Member States located on the eastern flank, which she recently visited and which are the most exposed to the consequences of the conflict in Ukraine. In her opinion, Europe’s eastern flank protects the whole of Europe, from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea, and this is why the Union must invest in supporting these countries through the Eastern Flank Watch. The high-ranking EU official announced that at the next European Council she will present a clear roadmap, which will seek to launch new joint projects in the field of defense, set clear objectives for 2030 and create a European Defense Semester.
Ursula von der Leyen highlighted the independence of the EU in a world full of challenges. “When we talk about independence, we are talking about choosing our destiny. That is what Ukraine is fighting for. And that is what all Europeans deserve. Because Europe is an idea – the idea of freedom and mutual strength. This was the idea that drove the post-1989 generation. When East and West came together. And it is as powerful now – as it was then. This is why we are bringing future Member States closer to our Union. Investing. Supporting reforms. Integrating into the Single Market”, the European Commission President said. “A larger and stronger Union is a security guarantee for all of us. And because for Ukraine, for Moldova, for the Western Balkans – their future is in our Union,” Ursula von der Leyen told the members of the European Parliament. (VP)
