Europe must take responsibility for its own security, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday.
“This is no longer an option. It is a necessity,” she told the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
She added that Europe “cannot allow others to define its worldview,” emphasizing that while the U.S. national security strategy rightly notes that Europe’s share in global GDP is declining, the United States is “on the same path.”
Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump criticized Europe and its leaders, calling them weak.
