The speech comes at a time when the European Union faces a world where old alliances are no longer guaranteed. The United States increasingly prioritizes its own interests, while pressure from Russia grows on the eastern border. Von der Leyen emphasizes that Europe must find a new balance: it is now or never.
The EU is at a crossroads where it must become fully self-reliant after decades of dependence on the United States for economic and military NATO cooperation, but now — on the western front — it is confronted with a United States that puts its own interests first and makes them decisive.
On the other hand, EU countries are threatened by a renewed Iron Curtain due to increasing Russian military aggression westward — on the eastern front. Putin, too, is calling for ‘Make Russia Great Again’.
According to Von der Leyen, now is the time to strengthen the Union before a new geopolitical reality again forces EU countries into a position of dependence. She points out that over the past decades the EU often relied on American security guarantees. That assumption has disappeared and can no longer be the basis of European policy, says the former German Defense Minister.
At the same time, Russia’s war against Ukraine remains an ongoing test of European unity. The Kremlin violates international law and shows itself willing to undermine diplomacy. In several earlier speeches, Von der Leyen described this violence as arbitrary and dangerous, a message she will repeat again today.
That is why strengthening the European defense industry is so central. Von der Leyen emphasizes that hundreds of billions are being allocated in the multiannual budget to build a military foundation of its own. According to her, the Union cannot afford delay: only a joint approach offers the necessary effectiveness, she will remind the hesitant and resistant members of the European Parliament.
Because there are definitely doubts within the parliament and among EU countries. Some politicians wonder if ‘Brussels’ places too much emphasis on military solutions and too little on diplomacy and cooperation. Others fear that a defense project could cause division between countries with different interests, as has been shown for decades in EU history.
Von der Leyen will want to counter that criticism by pointing to the broader meaning of autonomy. It is not only about Defense for her, but also about own (wind and solar) energy security, industrial strength, and technological independence. In her vision, all these domains must come together to make the Union resilient against external pressure and dependence on outsiders.
Von der Leyen takes on the heavy task of seeking support in a divided European Parliament with her plea. Nationalist and right-wing extremist EU politicians see her as the face of the Union’s vulnerability, yet she presents herself as the one who can set a course toward more determination and independence. Whether that ambition is widely shared will become clear today in Strasbourg.
What is certain is that Von der Leyen wants to deliver her message clearly: the European Union is at a crossroads. If member states do not make joint decisions now, Europe risks falling again into a role where others set the direction. For her, the moment has come to break that pattern.