Von der Leyen unveils European militarisation plan to global leaders in key video summit

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen has said that the leaders of the United Kingdom, Canada, Türkiye, Norway and Iceland were informed during a video conference about the outcomes of the EU’s emergency summit.

The decision was made to launch the European Commission’s plan for the militarisation of Europe (ReArm EU) there. “We debriefed UK, Canada, Türkiye, Norway and Iceland of our landmark European Council yesterday. With our REARM Europe plan, we are stepping up in defence. For the defence of our people, territories and assets. And for the long-term security of our brave neighbour Ukraine,” Caliber.Az reports, citing von der Leyen’s message on X.

We debriefed 🇹🇷🇬🇧🇨🇦🇳🇴🇮🇸 of our landmark European Council yesterday.

With our REARM Europe plan, we are stepping up in defence.

For the defence of our people, territories and assets.

And for the long-term security of our brave neighbour Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/r3y48Pl9yl

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) March 7, 2025

The video conference was also attended by European Council President António Costa and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas.

The European Commission’s plan for the militarisation of Europe, known as ReArm EU, is an ambitious initiative aimed at strengthening Europe's defence capabilities in response to growing security challenges. 

The plan focuses on enhancing military cooperation and coordination among EU member states, increasing defence spending, and improving the continent's ability to respond to external threats. As part of the ReArm EU strategy, the EU seeks to bolster its military infrastructure, upgrade defence technologies, and streamline defence procurement processes. This plan aligns with broader geopolitical concerns, particularly rising tensions with Russia, and seeks to ensure that Europe can better defend itself without relying solely on external powers like the US.

By Naila Huseynova