Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, in her speech at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, warned about the increasing security threats including cyberattacks, sabotage, arson, and airspace violations by drones. She attributed this situation to the growing prevalence of these threats and emphasized the necessity of establishing a joint response mechanism among EU member states.
New Plan for Responding to Security Threats
Von der Leyen announced that under the new plans, all 27 EU countries must quickly come together in the event of a warning mechanism being activated. The aim of this action is to prevent the escalation of tensions and reduce the impacts of security threats on member states. She also called for the creation of a "handbook for countering hybrid threats" and stressed the need to reach a consensus on how to respond to specific incidents.
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Von der Leyen, referring to Article 4 of the NATO treaty, added that this article allows allies to request an emergency meeting in the event of security incidents that do not lead to armed conflict. These incidents can include threats against the security, territory, or political freedom of countries.
Reviewing Europe's Security Systems
The President of the European Commission also reviewed the current systems for responding to security threats and stated: "Our systems are designed for a different world." She emphasized that these systems are influenced by good-faith efforts to reach agreements and compromises, but they need to be reassessed to see if they are still suitable for our goals.
Von der Leyen also announced plans to establish a European Security Council where EU leaders will meet with leaders of partner countries such as Canada, Norway, Ukraine, and the UK. This action aims to create a communication bridge and closer cooperation on security among different countries.
Currently, in light of increasing tensions and security threats, these proposals can be seen as a fundamental step towards strengthening security cooperation on the European continent. Experts believe that establishing such a mechanism could help reduce the risks posed by hybrid threats and enhance public security.
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