Ursula von der Leyen: At the Eastern Borders of the EU, We Are Building a Wall of Drones!

The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen emphasized the key role of Europe in global security, humanitarian aid, and technological competitiveness in her recent speech at the European Parliament.

It is no coincidence that at the beginning of her State of the Union address, President Ursula von der Leyen first touched upon two war conflicts, that in Ukraine and that in Gaza. The war in Ukraine has been ongoing for three years and directly concerns European security, and it has also been, as can be informally heard in Strasbourg on the margins of the current plenary session of the European Parliament, crucial in negotiations with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Reportedly, Trump conditioned every European attempt to control customs around the suspension of aid to Ukraine. On the other hand, the war in Gaza is an important topic across the European continent, primarily due to European voters who are of migrant origin, which is also increasingly being heard in EU bodies. We listen to voters, and we address topics accordingly, it is conveyed in Parliament.

Von der Leyen was equally attuned to these topics, starting her presentation with the story of a Ukrainian boy kidnapped from Mariupol, whose grandmother turned half of the Old Continent to bring him home. The boy was present in Parliament and received a standing ovation, after which the President of the European Commission emphasized that every kidnapped Ukrainian boy and girl must be returned home.

– To achieve this, the European Commission will organize a Summit of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children together with Ukraine and partners – announced von der Leyen.

Reparations Loan

Von der Leyen reminded that the war in Ukraine must end with justice and lasting peace, as the freedom of Ukraine also means the freedom of Europe. The latest attacks by Russia, including massive drone and ballistic missile strikes, as well as the attack on Polish territory, clearly show that Moscow’s diplomacy is not credible. She emphasized that the European Union plans to strengthen sanctions and accelerate the phased cessation of dependence on Russian fossil fuels. Currently, she added, work is underway on the 19th package of sanctions, including measures against shadow fleets and third countries that facilitate Russian activities.

So far, Europe has provided Ukraine with nearly 170 billion euros in military and financial aid, but additional support is needed. Von der Leyen presented the idea of a Reparations Loan, a loan based on frozen Russian assets, which will help Ukraine immediately and will only be repaid when Russia pays war reparations. The President emphasized the importance of Ukraine’s innovative approach in the war, such as the use of drones that account for more than two-thirds of the losses of Russian equipment. To maintain an advantage, the EU plans a program called Qualitative Military Advantage, including investment in drone manufacturing capacities and joint industrialization with Ukraine.

European Defense

Von der Leyen highlighted the need for a stronger and more credible European defense position and stated that projects like Readiness 2030 could, for example, free up to 800 billion euros for defense investments. She also mentioned that the European Commission decided yesterday on the provisional allocation of financial assistance from the SAFE program worth 150 billion euros. The goal of this program is to help member states eliminate critical deficiencies and jointly procure defense products.

She emphasized that Europe must invest in the security of its eastern border from the Baltic to the Black Sea.

– The introduction of Eastern Flank Watch is planned, which includes real-time monitoring and the construction of a drone wall. This capability will enable timely responses and clearly demonstrate Europe’s defense intentions – said von der Leyen. The President conveyed that 2030 is just around the corner, so it is essential to immediately set a clear plan for new joint defense projects, goals for 2030, and the European Defense Semester. Europe must be ready today to ensure security and stability tomorrow, she emphasized.

Not Hunger as a Weapon of War

Speaking about the crisis in Gaza, the President of the Commission condemned the ‘catastrophic images’ of civilian casualties and emphasized that ‘artificially induced hunger must never be a weapon of war.’ She criticized the political moves of the Israeli government which, according to her, undermine the two-state solution, and announced a package of EU measures, including the suspension of part of bilateral support to Israel, a proposal for sanctions against extremist ministers, and a partial suspension of the Trade Agreement, as well as the establishment of a Palestine Donor Group for the reconstruction of Gaza. Von der Leyen reminded that Europe is already providing the largest financial and humanitarian aid, but emphasized that a unified European action is needed.

– We cannot afford paralysis in decision-making. All of us, the Parliament, the Council, and the Commission, must take our own responsibility – she loudly stated, and the topics regarding Gaza provoked waves of loud approval and loud discontent in Parliament.