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Ursula von der Leyen calls for a new Pax Europaea on security
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed the creation of a new “Pax Europaea” in the realm of security, envisioning a more autonomous and united Europe. She made this appeal during the Charlemagne Prize ceremony in Aachen, where she was honored for her efforts in maintaining European unity, resilience, and action.
In her speech, von der Leyen emphasized the need for Europe to shape a 21st-century peace framework managed by Europeans themselves, especially as the United States begins to reduce its defense commitments to the continent. She reflected on past assumptions that periods of relative peace were permanent, largely due to NATO’s influence, and warned that the global order Europe once relied on has descended into chaos.
She predicted the rise of a new world order before the decade ends and called for a self-reliant Europe capable of withstanding powerful opposing forces. Von der Leyen pointed to the resurgence of conquest-driven ambitions and imperialist wars, warning of authoritarian regimes eager to exploit Europe’s divisions and dependencies.
The Charlemagne Prize, established in 1949 to support European integration after World War II, was awarded to von der Leyen in January 2025. The ceremony took place in Aachen, a historic city near the German, Belgian, and Dutch borders, which once served as the capital of Charlemagne’s empire.
A longtime member of Germany’s conservative party and previously seen as a possible successor to Angela Merkel, von der Leyen became European Commission President in 2019 and was re-elected in 2024. She has since embodied the EU’s ambition for strategic independence.
During her address, she highlighted that the EU has mobilized up to €800 billion to help member states enhance their defense spending. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, von der Leyen has stood firmly with Kyiv and pushed for strategies to reduce the EU’s energy dependence on Moscow, aiming to protect peace with full determination.
