The President of the European Commission says if Europe wants to prevent war, it must prepare for war.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, announced on Tuesday, March 19, that Europe must build a reliable deterrent capacity within the next five years to be ready against Russian threats and the potential reduction of U.S. security support.
In a speech at the Danish Military Academy, she said if Europe wants to prevent war, it must prepare for war. Von der Leyen emphasized that by 2030, Europe should have a strong defense structure.
These remarks were made a day before the European Commission’s new proposals to strengthen Europe’s defense capabilities were presented as part of the 2030 Preparedness Program, which includes an 800 billion euro investment allowing governments to spend more on defense.
Von der Leyen also stressed the need to strengthen support for Ukraine, saying we must make Ukraine strong enough to be indigestible to potential aggressors.
She added that Europe is learning from Ukraine’s defense industry experiences and should capitalize on them.