Leyen: Europe must become independent in three areas, including energy

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said on Monday before the European Political Community (EPC) summit in Yerevan that Europe must become independent in three areas: energy, defense and security, and trade.

Von der Leyen said that at the leaders' meeting as part of the EWP summit, one of the topics would be an independent Europe.

– We need to reduce our excessive dependence primarily in three areas. The first of them is energy, said the head of the European Commission.

As she noticed, The EU is still too dependent on imported fossil fuels and therefore remains dependent on the situation on world markets. She emphasized that the EU must increase its energy resources, including renewable and nuclear energy, which are cheaper and reliable because they are produced within the Community.

von der Leyen mentioned defense and security as the second area. – We need to strengthen our military capabilities to defend and protect ourselves. Huge financial resources are available for investment. Now we really need to intensify and speed up the production process, she added.

The third area is to guarantee reliable supply chains in Europe. The head of the Commission emphasized that for this purpose, the EU cooperates with like-minded countries and concludes free trade agreements with them. – We have just concluded an agreement with Latin America, and now also with India and Australia – she said, adding that she would soon also go to Mexico.

– Thanks to like-minded friends, we have stable, reliable supply chains. Europe has the largest network of free trade agreements, she said. “Connectivity” is crucial for EU supply chains, especially contact with the South Caucasus and Central Asia, so Armenia plays a very important role in this regard, she emphasized.

The European Political Community Summit in Yerevan is held under the slogan “Building the future: unity and stability in Europe”. 48 heads of state and government were invited, including: from the European Union, Great Britain, Ukraine, the Balkan countries and the South Caucasus; the meeting is attended by, among others, Prime Minister Donald Tusk. For the first time, a non-European country – Canada – participates in the EWP summit this year.

The EWP summit is taking place over a month before the parliamentary elections in Armenia scheduled for June 7. The first-ever EU-Armenia summit will be held immediately after the summit in Yerevan.

From Brussels Jowita Kiwnik Pargana (PAP)

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