Ms Von der Leyen said in a speech in Paris that as the UK scrambles to the polling stations in less than a month to put an end to Brexit uncertainty, that now is the time to form an even stronger Europe. She took the opportunity to shower praise on the “solo efforts” of powerful EU member states for their contributions before scolding those who did not provide enough. The incoming European Commission President said: “I see the need for stronger institutions and more effective multilateral action.”
She said that at present “the opposite is often the case”, adding: “Powerful states go it alone, and other powers rise.”
Ms Von der Leyen continued: “I want to build a real geopolitical commission.”
Europe must defend its values together, she also told the crowd at the Paris Peace Forum, before demanding the European foreign policy budget be increased by 30 percent.
French President Emmanuel Macron hosted the two-day forum, which also saw heads of state and government figures from around 30 countries are on the guest list.
Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) is also there.
The event addresses issues such as multilateralism, cyber security and peace efforts for the Middle East at a time when there is ever-increasing tension between Europe and Turkey, which launched an offensive on the Syrian border.
Ms Von der Leyen’s remarks are timely after today it emerged Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan issued a terrifying threat to the EU.
The Turkish leader has threatened to open door which could see supporters of the ISIS terrorist militia flooding into Europe in a chilling threat to the bloc.
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He threatened to flood Europe with migrants from neighbouring Syria including jihadis from ISIS.
Ms Von der Leyen recently attacked the forum’s host – Mr Macron – for opening the door to Russia in the Western Balkans after blocking EU membership talks for Albania and North Macedonia.
Ms Von der Leyen urged the bloc’s leaders to start accession talks immediately.
She claimed that Russia or China could fill the gap unless the European Union asserts itself in the region.
France’s Mr Macron last month blocked the process of formal memberships talks from beginning at a summit of European leaders.
In a speech to mark the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Ms von der Leyen said Europe had “asked a lot of North Macedonia and Albania, and they’ve fulfilled it all.
“Now we must be true to our word and start accession talks.”
She said EU leaders had delayed the prospect of membership for the Western Balkan countries as long ago as 2003.
“The point at that time was to anchor the European idea of peace in the region, which 20 years earlier had been rocked by bloody conflict,” she added.
Additional reporting by Monika Pallenberg.
