A wake-up call that may entirely change the future of Europe, the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen has raised her voice with a thunderous wake-up call that Europe is in an existential crisis like never before and that action is urgently needed to stop the looming threats of Russia with its insatiable aggression, global powers that are hostile, and trade wars that are devastating its existence and sovereignty.
Europe fights against existential threats on several levels
Europe is engaged in a fight against a new array of threats by Russia, new global trade challenges, and even other key world powers, and must claim its independence, the Orlando Sentinel reported after it was said by the European Union’s most powerful official that it was at war on Wednesday. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed further action to assist Ukraine in its confrontation with a full-scale invasion by Russia in a speech to the State of the Union, and she issued trade restrictions and sanctions against Israel regarding the war in Gaza.
Europe is at war, von der Leyen told members of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. A struggle between our values and our democracies. A struggle to achieve our freedom and control over our fate. This is a battle for our future, make no mistake about it.
It is an emergency when something needs to be done
She said the EU is drawing battle lines to a new world order founded upon power and that the EU had to struggle to secure its position in a world where many other major powers are either neutral or openly antagonistic to Europe. It has to be the independence moment of Europe, said the former German defense minister, 66, who has turned into the new face on summits with leaders around the globe.
The executive of the EU is the Commission. It makes suggestions of laws that affect the lives of approximately 450 million individuals in 27 different countries and checks whether the rules are taken into account. It has been used in recent years to help Europe weather fallout due to the COVID-19 pandemic, lose reliance on Russian energy supplies, and manage a trade war started by an old ally, such as the U.S.
The Ukraine assistance increases in the case of the Russian aggression
Regarding the war in Ukraine, which enters its fourth year, von der Leyen noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin had not yet shown any indications of ceasing the war, and said that our response should also be more evident. Russia has to be further pressured to get to the negotiating table. More sanctions, we do need more sanctions, she said. The EU member countries and the commission are in the process of implementing another series of sanctions against Russian energy revenues.
Money is aimed at the Russian war machine
According to Yahoo News, von der Leyen also indicated that frozen Russian assets in Europe should also be used to provide new solutions to the financial problems facing Ukraine. The value of those assets in a Belgian clearinghouse is nearly 200 billion euros (235billion). The income from the assets, approximately 3.5 billion euros(4.1 billion) earned last year, is already being spent on supporting the war-torn economy of Ukraine.
The overwhelming speech made by von der Leyen about the independence moment of Europe is a turning point in the modern history of Europe since the EU faces the greatest challenges that it has ever faced in terms of its core values and existence. Her appeal to take firm action against Russian aggression and the audacious financial decisions, along with alliances, is an indicator of how Europe wants to create its own way in an ever-growing, aggressive world.