Von der Leyen’s Speech: What Is the State of Europe — and What Will We Do About It?

Defense and Security once again topped the agenda. Yet, at first glance — and at the risk of jumping ahead — a few key takeaways emerge, with the first one having gone almost unnoticed, though arguably it is the most crucial.

The Call for Unity

Von der Leyen chose to open her speech with an appeal to unity. Indeed, it was the core message directed at Europe’s capitals: either we stand together in building a more autonomous and self-reliant Europe, or any grand design risks being delayed, withering away, or simply failing to materialize.
It is often noted that, despite reasonable criticism over her management of the Commission, von der Leyen must personally shoulder a range of political choices — pushing national governments and political groups alike. She has roughly the same resources as before but is now expected to achieve far more. The task demands better coordination, but above all, determination and resilience. Striking that balance is anything but easy.

Key Takeaways

• Security remains the top priority, and the main adversary is both clear and ruthless: Vladimir Putin and his regime. The timing of the speech coincided with the unprecedented violation of Polish airspace by Russian drones — making it abundantly clear which bloc and which global geopolitical shifts the EU must respond to. Von der Leyen made that point forcefully.
• Every political group heard something it wanted according to its agenda. That was predictable, given that discussions on the next EU budget are just beginning — and tempers are already flaring.
• Housing emerged as a higher political priority, now recognized as a clear new policy pillar.
• Concrete objectives for the single market and competitiveness are becoming increasingly defined — as are those for common defense. The driving force behind this progress will inevitably be the member states themselves. (The much-needed unity and shared understanding, as mentioned earlier, will be decisive.)

And What About Greece?

While the State of the Union address is, by definition, European in nature, its messages are also directed toward the member states — rightly so, given that they are intrinsic to the Union’s institutional mission and operation.
Symbolically, the presence of the head of the Greek forest commandos who assisted in tackling Spain’s massive summer wildfires — and the standing ovation he received from the European Parliament — placed Greece at the heart of the conversation on European solidarity, in all its dimensions.
With Defense and Security taking center stage in the European agenda, Greece has every reason to push firmly in that direction — even supporting a renewed dialogue on activating the Treaty’s solidarity clause.

SOURCE: Insider.gr