EU Must Act with Unity and Strength, von der Leyen Says

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called on the European Union to accelerate its efforts to strengthen independence and strategic power in response to a rapidly changing global order.

Speaking at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday, von der Leyen stressed that Europe must combine economic strength, technological innovation, and social cohesion to defend itself effectively.

“We are at a crossroads. Europe prefers dialogue and solutions – but we are fully prepared to act, if necessary, with unity, urgency, and determination,” she said. “In this increasingly lawless world, Europe needs its own levers of power.”

Von der Leyen highlighted the EU’s economic and industrial capabilities, a robust single market, and innovation capacity as critical tools for asserting strategic independence. She also emphasized the bloc’s continued focus on supporting Ukraine, while strengthening partnerships with the United States and other allies to ensure security in the Arctic region.

On Greenland, she reiterated that “the future of Greenland is only for the Greenlanders to decide,” while warning that U.S. threats of tariffs over the territory could destabilize transatlantic relations and empower adversaries. She described Greenland as a strategic region rich in critical raw materials and located on emerging global sea routes, but underscored that the sovereignty of its people must remain the priority.

Von der Leyen urged Europe to move beyond traditional caution, harness its economic might, and rethink its approach to global challenges, noting that the world is now “defined by raw power.”