President von der Leyen attended the NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum in The Hague, where she reaffirmed the EUs support for Ukraine and advocated for a united European Defence. She stressed the importance of SAFE and emphasized unity among allies and partners.
In her opening speech, she addressed government officials and defence industry representatives, participating in a panel with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, discussing the EUs readiness and collaboration with NATO.
Additionally, she joined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, European Council President António Costa, and Secretary General Rutte for a statement.
President von der Leyen highlighted the EUs recent actions to enhance defence: “Recently, Europe has undertaken significant actions that were once unimaginable. We established the ReArm Europe Plan to mobilize €650 billion in defence investment over the next four years. We created the SAFE financial instrument with €150 billion for joint defence procurement. Overall, Readiness 2030 represents €800 billion for defence investment. We proposed a simplification omnibus to expedite defence investment and signed eight Defence and Security Partnerships globally, with the latest being with Canada. The Europe of defence has finally awakened.”
She called for collaboration between defence primes and start-ups, noting the vital role of tech start-ups in defence. Since the onset of the Ukraine war, investment in European defence tech start-ups has surged by 500%. However, she emphasized the need for better support for start-ups: “Our start-ups must grow within the European Single Market. We need to identify potential unicorns and channel more capital towards them from public and private investors. Europe is home to numerous innovators; they need the resources to thrive here.”
Moreover, she urged for connections between civilian and military sectors, explaining that many critical 21st century defence components are dual-use, and such projects should operate on civilian platforms. She announced: “We will allow dual-use projects access to our new AI Gigafactories and the European Innovation Council Fund for start-ups, aiming for synergies across sectors. We must better integrate our tech industry with our defence industrial base.”
President von der Leyen commended the Ukrainian defence industry for its ability to innovate, produce efficiently, and keep pace with the latest technologies, stating: “Europe has much to learn from Ukraine. This program aims to strengthen our mutual defence capabilities and support Ukraine in its fight for survival.”
Lastly, she highlighted the threat posed by Russia and the need for Europe to adopt a readiness mindset, asserting: “This requires a new mindset. We must be willing to leave our comfort zones, exploring innovative approaches that unite tech and defence, civilian and military, in Europe and beyond. Together, we can deter those who wish us harm, ensuring a stronger NATO and a safer Europe.” Europe must apply pressure on Russia through stringent sanctions while also preparing to enhance its deterrence credibility.
President von der Leyen concluded her visit by attending the NATO Leaders dinner, hosted by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands.
More information:
Speech by President von der Leyen at the opening session of the NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum