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Von der Leyen at the security conference: “We have to be smarter than Russia”

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Tobias Hase/dpa

US presidential candidate Donald Trump questioned the US's security guarantee within NATO - and thus triggered a debate about expanding European security and defense policy. Now EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has also called for closer European cooperation on defense issues.

In the event of a second term in office, she would like to ensure that there is a separate defense commissioner in the new cabinet, said the Christian Democrat politician at the Munich Security Conference. Which member state would provide this still needs to be clarified. SPD leader Lars Klingbeil, among others, had previously spoken out in favor of a European defense commissioner.

Von der Leyen's term at the head of the Brussels authority expires with the European elections in June. It is expected that von der Leyen will go into the election as the CDU's top candidate.

New EU arms strategy

According to von der Leyen, the EU Commission is already working on a common arms policy for the European Union. A strategy should be presented in three weeks. You can also read the SPIEGEL cover story on the debate about a nuclear shield for Europe here.

According to von der Leyen, the strategy consists of four points: Firstly, Europe must spend more money on its defense, and secondly, these resources must be used better. There is also a need for joint procurement of military equipment, for which framework agreements would have to be concluded.

Thirdly, a European defense industry with good jobs must be specifically created, says the CDU politician and points to the production of Patriot air defense systems. Fourth, the EU must look closely at what is needed in Ukraine in order to use resources in a targeted manner.

Russia is currently numerically superior in the war against Ukraine and thousands of young men are being sacrificed there. "We have to be smarter than Russia," she said. To this end, the EU Commission will soon open a coordination office in Kiev.

April/Reuters