European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen affirmed on Monday that Europe will continue to support Ukraine, irrespective of developments in other regions. She emphasised that the complexities surrounding a proposed €90 billion loan to Ukraine underscore the need to re-evaluate the EU’s foreign policy framework.
In her address at the annual conference of EU ambassadors worldwide, von der Leyen argued that, in response to new challenges, the EU ought to adopt a more pragmatic, self-interested approach to its foreign policy. She observed that the institutions and decision-making processes within the EU have not kept pace with the rapid global changes occurring around us.
“We need a clear-eyed and hard look at our foreign policy in today’s world, both in how it is designed and how it is deployed. We urgently need to reflect on whether our doctrine, our institutions and our decision making – all designed in a postwar world of stability and multilateralism – have kept pace with the speed of change around us. Whether the system that we built – with all of its well-intentioned attempts at consensus and compromise – is more a help or a hindrance to our credibility as a geopolitical actor,” stated the President.
She conveyed that while all nations desire an end to the ongoing violence and turmoil, the Ukrainian people, in particular, aspire for peace. However, she cautioned that any resolution to this conflict must be reached in a way that does not sow the seeds of future discord.
Financial assistance is of paramount importance for Ukraine at this time, which is why the EU remains committed to honouring its obligations regarding the €90 billion loan. Currently, Hungary is blocking approval of this loan, despite the leaders of all 27 member states having previously given their political consent at the December 2025 summit.
In light of the current challenges to aid for Ukraine, von der Leyen suggested a critical examination of the EU’s effectiveness. Additionally, she pointed out that the recent attack on a British military base in Cyprus illustrates how the conflict in the Middle East is already affecting the EU.
According to her, this situation raises fundamental questions for the EU, particularly about its capacity to maintain unity in the face of such events. Von der Leyen argued that the notion of Europe retreating from the complexities of the world is fundamentally misguided.
“We will always defend and uphold the rules-based system that we helped to build with our allies, but we can no longer rely on it as the only way to defend our interests or assume its rules will shelter us from the complex threats that we face. So we need to build our own European path and find new ways of cooperating with partners,” emphasised von der Leyen.
To foster peace in today’s environment, she concluded, Europe must demonstrate strength, deter threats, address challenges effectively, and enhance its global influence.
