Ursula Von Der Leyen Proposes Construction Of EU Air Shields And Cyber Defense

The IRIS-T air defense system used by a number of countries in Europe. (Wikimedia Commons/Boevaya mashina)

JAKARTA - European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday pledged to create a "true European Defense Union" over the next five years, with flagship projects in the air defense and cyberspace, if she wins a second term.

"Membership countries will always be responsible for their own forces, from doctrine to placement," von der Leyen said in a document establishing his program before the European Parliament vote in the future to give him a second term.

"But there are many things Europe can do to support and coordinate efforts to strengthen the defense, innovation and single-market (Europe) industry," continued von der Leyen.

The focus of documents on defense reflects how the issue has surged to the peak of Europe's political agenda, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

European leaders have stressed they should do more to strengthen their own defenses, especially given doubts about how much they can rely on the United States for protection if Republican Donald Trump wins the US Oresiden election in November.

With this background, the European Commission seeks to play a bigger role in defense policy, a field that has traditionally become the domain of the national government and NATO.

Von der Leyen confirmed plans to appoint a European Commissioner for Defense, a new position, saying the Commission would propose a "White Book on the Future of European Defense" in the first 100 days of its next term.

He said the EU's main defense projects "must focus on our common and cross-border threats".

"In collaboration with Member States and in close coordination with NATO, we will propose a number of Defense Projects for European Joint Interests starting with European Air Shields and cyber defenses," he said.

"We will ensure these main projects are open to all and we will use all the devices we have, both regulatory and financial, to ensure that these projects are designed, built and deployed on European soil as quickly as possible," he explained.

However, von der Leyen did not say how the projects would be funded. But he said his commission would create a "proposal for urgent defense investment needs".