Ursula von der Leyen's State of the Union speech

"Our choice is clear.

Do we want a strong and independent Europe that defends its values in the world? Or do we allow our democracies to be undermined by the representatives and puppets of the authoritarians? Whether it is ultranationalists or anti-Europeans, whether it is Russian interference or disinformation, the names may be different, but their goal is the same. They despise our values and want to shatter our European unity. So let's not just oppose all this, but let's fight together for our idea of Europe." Ursula von der Leyen underlined this in the State of the Union.

“We all know the threats we face. As old assumptions and relationships have frayed, we now find ourselves dealing with an openly hostile world. An aggressive territorial war rages on our continent; others have erupted nearby. A struggle for industrial capacity is shaping global competition. And a battle of narratives is seeking to undermine confidence in Europe, to cripple our democracies. But people's concerns are not just about these major global threats. The effects of numerous crises they take their toll on many European families, not least on the cost of living or housing,” he underlined. "These concrete concerns are exploited to create divisions between us. Sometimes from the outside and too often from the inside. But our path is clear: to build an independent Europe that has the power to act. Nothing can distract us from this goal. Because in this world, the fate of Europe must remain in the hands of the Europeans", von der Leyen further remarked.