Security No Longer Optional

Ursula von der Leyen framed European security as an unavoidable obligation rather than a strategic preference.

Speaking on December 17, 2025, ahead of the December 18–19 European Council summit, the European Commission president argued that “Europe must be responsible for its own security,” adding, “This is no longer an option. This is a must.”

She placed this argument in the context of a shifting global order, telling the European Parliament in Strasbourg that “yesterday’s peace is gone” and that Europe has “no time to indulge in nostalgia.”

“No Place for Antisemitism”

Von der Leyen anchored security not only in military capability but also in values.

“Jewish history is European history. Jewish culture is European culture,” she said, warning that “the old evil is once again rearing its head.”

She added that “there can be no place for the poison of anti-semitism, especially in Europe,” directly tying internal cohesion and minority protection to Europe’s broader security resilience.

Hybrid War and Capability Gaps

A central theme of von der Leyen’s remarks was the need to adapt to hybrid warfare.

She stated that Europe must “develop and deploy new capabilities so that we can fight a modern hybrid war,” a reference to combined military, economic, cyber, and information threats.

She also warned that Russia’s full wartime economy poses a “direct threat” not only to Ukraine but to Europe’s national and economic security, reinforcing the argument that the front line of defense extends well beyond Ukraine’s borders.

Ukraine as European Defense

Von der Leyen repeatedly framed support for Ukraine as a core European defense task.

She emphasized that Europe should cover the majority of Ukraine’s estimated €137 billion financial needs for 2026–2027 and argued that immobilized Russian assets in the EU could be used as a form of “reparations loan.”

“There is no more important act of European defense than supporting Ukraine’s defense,” she said.