Europe “must position itself as a force to be reckoned with” in terms of defence, European Parliament president Roberta Metsola told European leaders on Thursday.
In a speech focusing on defence, the war in Ukraine and European competitiveness, Metsola told a European Council meeting that, “In a world of rising single powers, we cannot afford to be squeezed for a lack of political ambition.”
Stressing the need for increased defence spending, Metsola said: “Simply put: Europe must position itself as a force to be reckoned with. That means being ready. It means putting our money where our mouth is.”
“It means getting serious about our security, our readiness and our competitiveness.”
Warning that while the EU had relied on soft power for decades, she said it could “not afford to be squeezed for a lack of political ambition.”
The EP president’s words come amid a push for increased European independence in the realm of defence, following the United States, which has long guaranteed security for the continent, recently temporarily withdrawing military support for Ukraine.
Earlier this month, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen unveiled an €800-billion European defence plan after Washington withdrew military support for Ukraine following a stunning public row between US President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Trump has long criticised EU countries for not spending enough on defence, and has threatened to pull out of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) should members not increase their spending.
On his first international trip in February, US defence secretary Pete Hegseth told defence ministers in Brussels the US was no longer “primarily focused” on European security, and urged European leaders to take the lead to guaranteeing their own security.
Turning to Ukraine, Metsola said Europe’s “lived experience” of the “horrific cost of war” underpinned its support for Ukraine.
Warning that “peace must be genuine otherwise it is simply the illusion of peace”, the EP president said European action on Ukraine was "necessary - not out of altruism - but out of our duty to keep Europe and Europeans safe.”
"Because a Ukraine that is not supported will not be able to defend itself. And a Ukraine with Russia ruling from Kyiv makes Europe and the world a much less safe, less secure and less prosperous place.”
Warning against an “information war that is being waged on our [electronic] devices,” Metsola said it was important to be "clear about why we are doing things and why they matter so much.”
Stressing that "security and economy go hand in hand”, the EP president said the “answer” to strengthening the bloc’s economy was to complete its savings and investments union – a new investment infrastructure aimed in particular at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Indicating that changes to public spending could be on the horizon, Metsola said that upcoming negotiations on the EU’s long-term budget would “give us a golden opportunity to align our wallet with our strategic priorities. The status quo here is not an option.”