Von der Leyen: A stronger Europe bolsters NATO's collective defense

2026-02-13 - 18:05

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivered a robust defense of European rearmament efforts Friday, asserting that a more capable Europe directly reinforces NATO's collective strength. Speaking alongside NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul at a Munich Security Conference news conference, von der Leyen framed increased European defense investment as complementary to transatlantic solidarity. "Europe must become more independent, it must do more for its defense. A strong Europe also means a strong NATO," she stated. Quantifying Europe's Defense Surge Addressing persistent US criticism regarding financial burden-sharing within the alliance, von der Leyen presented striking figures demonstrating Europe's accelerating commitment. "Last year, we did more for defense in Europe than in the 10 years before," she emphasized, revealing that while the previous seven-year EU budget allocated €8 billion to defense, last year alone saw Europe mobilize €800 billion—a hundredfold increase—to address capability gaps. She highlighted the SAFE program as instrumental in supporting joint defense industry projects among EU member states and partner nations. Transatlantic Forum Discussions Following the press conference, von der Leyen, Rutte, and Wadephul participated in the "Transatlantic Forum" hosted by Bavarian Premier Markus Soeder. Their appearance at the annual Munich Security Conference, which gathers world leaders, defense ministers, and security experts, underscores European determination to demonstrate concrete progress on defense capacity building. The messaging seeks to reassure Washington of European commitment while advancing strategic autonomy that strengthens rather than undermines the NATO alliance structure.