STRASBOURG, Nov 27 (AFP): EU chief Ursula von der Leyen warned Wednesday that Europe has "no time to waste" to boost its defences and competitiveness, as European lawmakers prepared to approve her new executive team to start work.
Addressing deputies in Strasbourg, von der Leyen said her team was ready to start work immediately on the bloc's mounting challenges. With the Ukraine war "raging" at its borders, the 27-nation bloc needed to swiftly increase defence spending, she said.
"We have no time to waste. And we must be as ambitious as the threats are serious."
From supporting Kyiv against Russia's invasion to war in the Middle East, China's economic rivalry and the imminent return of Donald Trump to the White House, the European Union has its hands full. "Our freedom and sovereignty depend more than ever on our economic strength. Our security depends on our ability to compete, innovate and produce," von der Leyen said.
The new EU executive has been in preparation since the 27-nation bloc held European elections in June. It is set to formally start its mandate on Sunday.
Right, centrist and centre-left groups in the EU parliament last week agreed to vote in the new 27-member commission, skippered by Germany's von der Leyen, 66, for a second term.
That came after all nominees put forward by member states were-for the first time in decades-cleared individually, though only after political horse-trading.
The top roles in the new commission speak of the priorities for the next five years.
Estonia's ex-premier Kaja Kallas is to become the bloc's top diplomat, while Lithuania's Andrius Kubilius landed a new role overseeing the EU's push to rearm.
Both are hawkish Russia critics. Von der Leyen said Wednesday there was "something wrong" when Moscow is spending up to nine per cent of GDP on defence against the EU's 1.9 per cent.
"Our defence spending must increase. We need a single market for defence. We need to strengthen the defence industrial base," she said.
She has previously said the bloc needs to invest 500 billion euros ($526 billion) over the next decade to keep up with Russia and China.
