During a conference in Brussels, the 27 national leaders of the union also chose Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas to lead EU foreign policy and Antonio Costa, a former premier of Portugal, to chair future meetings of the European Council
“The mission was successfully completed! Charles Michel, the organization’s current chair, told reporters early on Friday morning that “the European Council has delivered.”
Despite a far-right surge in elections to the European Parliament earlier this month, mainstream pro-EU factions have managed to hang onto top roles inside the roughly 450 million-strong bloc, as seen by the leadership package.
The right-wing Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni reportedly voted against Costa and Kallas and abstained from the von der Leyen vote, despite the trio receiving widespread support.
“Out of respect for the citizens and the indications that came from those citizens during the elections,” Meloni stated on X when deciding not to back the leadership slate.
According to diplomats, right-wing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban voted against von der Leyen and did not cast a ballot for Kallas.
The European Parliament must still approve von der Leyen’s candidacy in a secret ballot, which is generally regarded as a more difficult task than having EU leaders support her.
“It is a matter of convincing – if possible – a broad majority for a strong Europe,” von der Leyen stated. “This is what I’m going to be working for.”
Both geographically and politically, the leadership package is balanced. Kallas is from the liberal group in Europe, Costa is from the center-left, and Von der Leyen is from the center-right.
“In light of the current geopolitical unrest, this is a huge responsibility. In addition to the growing instability in the world, there is war in Europe, Kallas told reporters.
In his new position, Costa declared that he would be “fully committed to promoting unity among the 27 member states”.
DEFENCE DISCUSSION
Along with signing a security deal with Ukraine, the EU discussed how to strengthen its defenses against Russia during the summit and decided on the bloc’s five-year strategic agenda.
This security agreement highlights the European Union’s support for Kyiv in repelling Moscow’s invasion for a third year, even in the face of far-right victories in European elections, unpredictability brought about by early elections in France, and the US presidential election in November.
The agreement outlines the EU’s commitments to support Ukraine in nine security-related sectors, such as demining, military training, arms supply, and business collaboration in the defense sector.
“These commitments will help Ukraine defend itself, resist destabilisation, and deter future acts of aggression – more concrete proof of the EU’s unshakeable resolve to support Ukraine for the long haul,” Michel stated.
The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to stand with Ukraine through all the necessary means, emphasizing that “Russia must not prevail” and that Kiev must reclaim the territory that Moscow has annexed.
DEFENCE DISCUSSION
As the EU strives to provide Kyiv with enough weapons to defeat Russia, the war in Ukraine exposed the bloc’s lack of readiness for war, leading to demands for increased EU defense system coordination and defense industry investment.
According to diplomats, von der Leyen informed the summit that, even before Moscow’s enormous surge in military spending during its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the EU had grown defense spending by 20%, China by 600%, and Russia by 300% between 1999 and 2021.
Diplomats said von der Leyen informed leaders that the EU needed to spend $535.30 billion (or 500 billion euros) on defense over the following ten years. According to von der Leyen, financing alternatives included national contributions, specialized revenue streams known as the EU’s own resources, and cooperative borrowing.
The leaders hope to reach a consensus on the EU’s “strategic agenda” before supper on Thursday. This document informs EU institutions of the priorities that European nations want them to pursue throughout their 2024–2029 mandate. Investment in defense is one item on the agenda.
In addition to defense, the agenda asks for making the EU more competitive so that it can withstand economic pressure from the US and China. It also calls for getting ready for the EU to enlarge in order to include the Western Balkans, Ukraine, and Moldova.
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