STORY: Europe must be responsible for its own security, European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday (December 17).

"This is no longer an option. It is a must," she told the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

She added that Europe "cannot afford to let others define its worldview," adding that while the U.S. national security strategy is right to say that Europe's share of global GDP is declining, the United States is on "the same path."

Von der Leyen also addressed the upcoming European Council meeting on Thursday, stressing the urgent need for the EU to decide on financing support for Ukraine over the next two years. "We have to take the decision to fund Ukraine for the next two years in this European Council," she stressed.

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VIDEO SHOWS: EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT URSULA VON DER LEYEN GIVING A SPEECH IN FRONT OF EU PARLIAMENT IN STRASBOURG BEFORE EU COUNCIL SUMMIT

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REFILING EDIT TO REMOVE SHORT SHOTS

SHOWS: STRASBOURG, FRANCE (DECEMBER 17, 2025) (EUROPEAN UNION - Access All)

1. EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT, URSULA VON DER LEYEN, GREETING EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT, ROBERTA METSOLA

2. EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT CHAMBER

3. DANISH MINISTER OF EUROPEAN AFFAIRS, MARIE BJERRE, AND OTHER OFFICIALS SEATED

4. VON DER LEYEN APPROACHING LECTERN

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT, URSULA VON DER LEYEN, SAYING:

"Europe's era of independence must be unstoppable. And we have more work to do. We have to go further. We must move swiftly. And that is particularly important when it comes to security and defence. The bottom line is simple. Europe must be responsible for its own security. This is no longer an option. This is a must."

6. VARIOUS OF EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT CHAMBER AND MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT APPLAUDING

7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT, URSULA VON DER LEYEN, SAYING: (VARIOUS ANGLES / ENDS OF SHOT OF EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT MEMBERS APPLAUDING)

"I proposed two different options for this upcoming European Council, one based on assets and one based on EU borrowing, and we will have to decide which way we want to take, which route we want to take. But one thing is very, very clear. We have to take the decision to fund Ukraine for the next two years in this European Council."

8. (SOUNDBITE) (English) EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT, URSULA VON DER LEYEN, SAYING:

"Yesterday's peace is gone. We have no time to indulge in nostalgia. What matters is how we confront today. We cannot afford to let the worldviews of others define us."

9. EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT MEMBERS APPLAUDING

10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT, URSULA VON DER LEYEN, SAYING:

"Europe has been losing share of global GDP, down from 25% in 1990 to 14% today. End of quote. But what is not written is that the figures for the United States are on the same path. The United States has been losing share of global GDP from 22% in 1990 down to 14% today. So this is not a story of an economy on one side of the Atlantic or the other. This is the story of the shift in the world economy."

11. VON DER LEYEN STANDING AT LECTERN IN FRONT OF EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT MEMBERS

12. SOCIALISTS AND DEMOCRATS' GROUP LEADER, IRATXE GARCIA, SEATED

13. VON DER LEYEN CONCLUDING SPEECH, SAYING (English): "Thank you, and long live Europe"

14. EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT MEMBERS APPLAUDING

15. GARCIA APPLAUDING

16. RENEW GROUP LEADER, VALERIE HAYER, AND OTHER MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT APPLAUDING

17. VON DER LEYEN LEAVING LECTERN