Announcement for election in June

Von der Leyen wants an EU Commissioner for Defense

Ursula von der Leyen, then German Defense Minister, with Bundeswehr soldiers in Kabul in 2018(Bild: APA/AFP/POOL/Michael Kappeler)

The EU election in June is already casting its shadow: Ursula von der Leyen is expected to enter the race as the lead candidate of the conservative European People's Party. The President of the EU Commission made her first campaign announcement: in the event of a second term in office, she wants her own EU Commissioner for Defense.

At the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, von der Leyen said that it still had to be clarified which Member State would appoint this Commissioner. 

EU strategy for armaments policy
She also announced that the EU Commission would present a strategy for a common armaments policy for the European Union in three weeks' time.

The former German defense minister listed four points: Firstly, Europe simply had to spend more money, and secondly, the funds had to be better deployed. Joint procurement is needed and framework agreements must be concluded, also to improve the interoperability of systems in the EU.

Targeted use of resources
Thirdly, a European arms industry with good jobs must be created in a targeted manner, said the CDU politician, referring to the production of Patriot air defense systems. Fourthly, the EU must take a close look at what is needed in Ukraine in order to deploy resources in a targeted manner.

We have to be smarter than Russia.

Ursula von der Leyen

Bild: APA/AFP/JOHN THYS

Russia currently has superior numbers and thousands of young men are being sacrificed. "We have to be smarter than Russia," emphasized von der Leyen. To this end, the EU Commission will soon be opening a coordination office in Kiev.