Brussels – Ursula von der Leyen is celebrating the 100th day of her second term at the helm of the EU executive ahead of schedule. In an offbeat Sunday press conference, the Berlaymont president indulged in a moment of self-celebration by reviewing what she considers the successes of her (second) first quarter. She also offers a glimpse of what awaits the Union in the months and years ahead. The watchword: security, to the point that it will be the name of a new “format” of the College of Commissioners, to be convened periodically.
Almost in response to the speech made by US President Donald Trump to the joint session of Congress, Ursula von der Leyen yesterday (March 9) held a press conference to take stock of the first 100 days of her second term. Technically, she will cross the finish line on Tuesday, 11, but she will be in Strasbourg at the plenary session of the European Parliament tomorrow. So she has decided to bring it forward, having the Berlaymont press room open for an unusual Sunday morning conference.
The New World
However, on this side of the Atlantic, there is little to celebrate at this historic moment. In just a month and a half, the world to which the Old Continent was accustomed to has been swept away. Von der Leyen wants to act as a woman of providence to guide Europe toward its strategic awakening (as Macron said). “The world around us is changing at lightning speed,” she noted, since “geopolitical shifts are shaking alliances” and “decades-old certainties are crumbling.”
“What has changed in these 100 days is the new sense of urgency because something fundamental has shifted,” she said. She argued that “our European values – democracy, freedom, and the rule of law – are under threat” and that “sovereignty but also ironclad commitments are being called into question” in this new phase where “everything has become transactional.” Not even too veiled a reference to the combative stance of the new US administration: to Vice President J.D. Vance‘s frontal assaults on European allies to give them lessons of democracy, to his boss’s imperialist aims on Greenland (but also on Canada and Panama), and to Washington’s continued threats to disengage from the defense of the Old Continent.
Goodbye Uncle Sam?
However, she was careful never to criticize the White House occupant openly. Perhaps she wants to avoid making Volodymyr Zelensky’s mistake of daring to challenge Trump and Vance’s verbal assaults in the Oval Office and, as a result, being punished with the loss of support for Ukrainian resistance.
Von der Leyen still considers the United States “an ally” of the EU. “In the face of adversity, the United States and Europe have always been stronger together,” she noted. “Yes, there are differences” in the approach between the two sides of the Atlantic. “We may have different views on some issues, but if you look at the common interests we have, they always outweigh our differences,” she reasoned, stressing the importance of “working together” and “finding common paths.” In short, there is no de-risking with the US because (unlike China) it is not a systemic rival but still a strategic partner.
The EU must do “its homework,” she explained, and take greater responsibility for its own defense without depending too much on Uncle Sam. And so, the 27 member states must arm themselves with courage and seize “the once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a stronger, safer, and more prosperous Europe.” Theoretically, this dynamic should lead to mutual benefits: it would allow Washington to spend less on the security of the Old Continent (Trump has long lamented the asymmetry in defense spending among the Allies) and Brussels to develop its own military-industrial base.
The Security College
The Commission is also changing its skin to keep up with the changing times. One of the only changes announced by the head of the EU executive is the introduction of a new format, the “College on Security.” It will comprise the 27 commissioners, who will meet periodically – it is not yet known how often – to discuss issues related to the “collective security” of the Union in a broad and multidimensional sense: from cyberspace to energy security, via trade and actual military defense. “We need to shift to a mindset of preparedness,” von der Leyen said, to have “a clear and thorough understanding of the threats” facing Europe.
In this format, the College members will work on “regular updates” provided by the External Action Service (EEAS) agencies, the EU’s Foreign Office, on “security developments.” These debriefings will focus each time on different aspects and develop specific recommendations for each commissioner based on their expertise.
Opening to Eurobonds?
The other news from yesterday concerns the 150 billion ad hoc fund the Commission will create in the context of the Continental ReArm Plan the von der Leyen spoke about last week, which the leaders of the 27 member states backed at the extraordinary summit on March 6. First, it will be called SAFE — “Security Action for Europe.” For now, we only know that SAFE will work through loans instead of outright grants, just like the SURE fund introduced during COVID-19.
Regarding the financial resources, von der Leyen refused to rule out issuing new common debt. “Nothing is off the table,” she said, repeatedly pressed by reporters who asked if the Berlaymont was thinking about something like Eurobonds for defense, along with what was done in 2020 with the NextGeneration EU for post-pandemic recovery. But it’s still “too early” for details, the president said, throwing the ball back into the court (“the decision is up to the member states”).
Until recently, von der Leyen had seemed opposed to new debt securities from the 27 member states, given the unity of frugal countries. However, the historic shift in Berlin (the future chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that he would reform the debt brake to allow defense investments) changed everything. Now, the road to Eurobonds no longer seems barred by default. It is now necessary to find the political will among the chancelleries.
Manufacturing at home
It is unclear, however, whether there will be a “buy European” clause to incentivize the purchase of EU-produced weapons systems and limit imports from abroad, as requested by Paris, for example. Currently, the Old Continent buys about 80 percent of its weapons from abroad, mainly those Made in the USA. According to the latest SIPRI report, between 2020 and 2024, European NATO members bought 64 percent of their weapons from Washington, significantly increasing their dependence on Uncle Sam (in the 2015-2019 period, this figure stood at 52 percent).
It is an awkward situation these days. “We urgently need capacity, and we don’t have it here,” von der Leyen said, making no secret of the fact that she is a fan of “European preference” but stressed that we need to move cautiously, following a “phased” approach that also involves European partners who are not part of the Union. “We have to think intelligently about how to do it, but it has to be an initiative that leads to research, development, and the creation of good jobs here in Europe,” she said, calling for a rethinking of the continental industrial base to promote greater cross-border cooperation.
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
