Warmongering and the war industry: The EU is preparing for a war against Russia
During the traditional State of the Union address, EU President Ursula von der Leyen (CDU) opened with a Dickens quote. Over the following 60 minutes, she warned that the EU faced threats of unprecedented magnitude (1). She wants to solve these problems together – including beyond the borders of the alliance
Warmongering and the war industry: The EU is preparing for a war against Russia
In the State of the Union address, EU President Ursula von der Leyen (CDU) warned of an increasingly threatening security policy situation. In the President's view, one state above all is responsible for this:
Russia - In order to become more resilient in this global political situation, von der Leyen made concrete proposals. She also reached out to new partners. For the first time in the history of the Union, a foreign listener attended the speech in Strasbourg. Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney plans, together with von der Leyen, to make his country the Union's first associated partner. Meanwhile, von der Leyen made clear what, in her view, represents the greatest dangers for the EU: sabotage, drone incursions and cyber-attacks. In this reality, according to the Commission President, the previous mechanism of the EU peace project – economic interdependence – must be supplemented with further methods. "The hybrid threats Europe has been confronted with are becoming less and less hybrid and less and less mere threats," von der Leyen said concretely in Strasbourg. As a direct consequence, the President, together with High Representative Kaja Kallas, announced a new European Security Strategy.
Among other things, it provides for a European emergency security mechanism modelled on Article 4 of NATO.
If this is triggered by an EU member state in the face of hybrid or military aggression, the member states are to consult without delay on a coordinated European response. As a complement to this measure, the President envisages a European Security Council. It is to interlink continental defence cooperation more closely. This also includes partners such as the United Kingdom, Norway, Canada and Ukraine.
This institutional framework is rounded off by a planned instrument for strategic enablers. In close coordination with NATO, this is to close existing gaps in key capabilities. These include in particular air and missile defence, strategic transport, air-to-air refuelling as well as space and cyber security
Ukraine in focus
In addition, von der Leyen focused on Ukraine. Besides immediate measures to secure Ukrainian energy infrastructure in view of the approaching winter months, the President stressed that further cooperation in the armaments sector should be pursued. The EU is thus planning, together with Kyiv, the development of a modular and low-cost missile defence mechanism. The "Freyja" system (The Freyja system is a pan-European project presented in May 2026 for air and missile defence against ballistic threats, led by the Ukrainian armaments company Fire Point) is to combine Ukrainian combat experience with European technology and production capacities. To finance this and other projects, the Union is providing funds from the SAFE programme.
Raw materials and AI as a security factor Furthermore, the Commission President placed the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Europe's dependence on imported critical raw materials in a security policy light. "We still have too many dangerous dependencies," warned von der Leyen. She also commented on the topic of AI. It is increasingly developing into a supporting pillar of European economy and security. Accordingly, von der Leyen announced the founding of a European Critical Raw Materials Agency. Its task: to coordinate joint purchasing and build up strategic reserves for key technologies and the defence industry. In the field of AI, the President urged caution, particularly with so-called frontier models. The risks posed by self-recursive systems and cyber threats in particular are preoccupying the leading minds of the Union. At the same time, the Commission aims to advance industrial applications. Space, defence and healthcare are central here.
Photo : CC 4.0 - Duma.gov.ru
(1)
Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov declared that the accusations against Russia of involvement in the attack on Leipzig Airport were "the beginning of a real war".
Lavrov denies any involvement and draws parallels to the beginning of the Second World War.
"A drone was found. They said it was a Russian drone, and no one bothered to investigate. That is basically the beginning of a real war. I remember that the Germans, before the start of the Second World War, the Great Patriotic War, also closed their diplomatic missions. Germany wants war again" said Lavrov.
Lavrov held Chancellor Merz personally responsible for the entire situation.
"All these statements by Merz that Germany would again become the leading military power in Europe are now being put into practice. He is basically declaring war on us," said Lavrov.
Merz himself declared that the attribution of blame to Russia was "clear, indisputable and legally justified" (he does NOT provide evidence)