EU, Von der Leyen: “Europe must be self-sufficient in security”

Rome, Sept. 21 (LaPresse) – “We are living in very dangerous times. I will do everything in my power to maintain peace and freedom in Europe. That is precisely why we are strengthening our defense capabilities with such determination,” said European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen in an interview with Repubblica. “While it is true that NATO must remain the core of our collective defense,” Von der Leyen explained, “it is also true that we need a much stronger European pillar. Europe must be more self-sufficient and independent in security matters. That is why we launched the ‘Readiness for 2030’ program, through which we intend to fill capability gaps, accelerate procedures, and mobilize up to 800 billion euros for the defense industry. We will protect every centimeter of the European Union.”