European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at a forum in Brussels that Europe must take the brunt of its security. She stressed that achieving greater independence in defense cannot happen overnight, with all measures being taken in coordination with NATO, BTA reports.
Von der Leyen noted the rapid approval of the EC's proposals to provide additional funds for defense purposes. She also emphasized the circular economy as a key to reducing dependence on imported raw materials and stressed the need to reduce energy prices through the production of renewable and nuclear energy. The proposals include cutting the time it takes to approve wind farm projects by two-thirds, but the EC president acknowledged that national electricity grids in the EU are still not sufficiently interconnected.
Von der Leyen also stressed the need to complete the European single market. Europe is leading the way in the deployment of artificial intelligence, and the new EU multiannual budget foresees a significant increase in funding for research and digitalisation.