In a speech that sets the political direction ahead of the European Council meeting of 18–19 December 2025, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen addressed the European Parliament plenary with a clear message: Europe must take responsibility for its own security while remaining a strong and reliable partner to its allies.
The intervention came as part of the formal parliamentary debate preparing the ground for the upcoming summit, where EU leaders will focus on three central priorities: sustained support for Ukraine, Europe’s relationship with the United States, and the strengthening of the EU’s strategic autonomy in an increasingly unstable world.
Framing the agenda of the European Council
Von der Leyen described the current global environment as more dangerous, transactional and shaped by conflict than at any point in recent decades. Her speech was intended to frame the discussions that heads of state and government will hold in Brussels later this week, at a time when Europe faces simultaneous security, economic and geopolitical pressures.
For the President, the European Council must move beyond reacting to events and instead demonstrate that the EU has its own strategy, interests and priorities. This approach, she argued, reflects the core responsibility of the European Council: to provide political direction at moments of historic change.
Ukraine at the centre of Europe’s security debate
Support for Ukraine emerged as the cornerstone of the President’s message. Von der Leyen stressed that defending Ukraine is not only a moral obligation but a fundamental act of European self-defence.
She underlined the urgency of agreeing, at this European Council, on how the EU will fund Ukraine’s needs for 2026 and 2027, estimated at around €137 billion. The Commission’s position is that Europe should cover roughly two-thirds of this amount. The debate among leaders is expected to focus on funding mechanisms, including the use of immobilised Russian assets and EU-level borrowing.
The President also highlighted last week’s agreement to keep Russian assets frozen indefinitely, describing it as a strong political signal that Russia will remain accountable until the war ends and reparations are paid.
Strategic autonomy and transatlantic relations
A central theme of the speech was Europe’s strategic autonomy, which von der Leyen framed not as isolationism but as a condition for being a credible global partner.
She pointed to Europe’s rapid progress in reducing dependence on Russian fossil fuels as proof that autonomy is achievable when Member States act together. Similar logic, she argued, must now guide defence, security, supply chains and critical raw materials.
At the same time, von der Leyen addressed transatlantic relations, noting that global economic shifts and the rise of China have reshaped priorities on both sides of the Atlantic. A more independent Europe, she said, would strengthen the partnership with the United States rather than weaken it, by contributing more decisively to global stability and security.
The political priorities of the European Council President
The issues highlighted by von der Leyen reflect the core interests of the President of the European Council: safeguarding European security, ensuring unity among Member States, and positioning the EU as a strategic actor capable of defending its values and interests.
The upcoming summit is expected to test the EU’s ability to act collectively on long-term commitments, particularly on Ukraine, defence investment and the balance between autonomy and alliances. Decisions taken on 18–19 December will signal whether Europe is prepared to translate its rhetoric on independence into concrete political and financial action.
A defining moment for Europe
Von der Leyen concluded her address by framing independence as freedom: the freedom to decide, to protect democratic processes, and to preserve Europe’s diverse cultures and way of life.
As the European Council convenes, her message to both Parliament and Member States is clear. Europe is entering a decisive phase, and the choices made now will shape its role in a rapidly changing world.