Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, has announced the first ever Security Council meeting.
Von der Leyen revealed the news on Sunday during press conference, stating that commissioners will be regularly updated on threats and security topics.
It has been 100 days since the new European Commission, led by the German President, began its term. Since then, significant global events have occurred, notably the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States. “December feels like a lifetime ago,” von der Leyen remarked at a press conference.
Although she did not specify a date for the Security Council meeting, von der Leyen indicated it would happen “in due course.” The initiative aims to increase readiness in response to extraordinary times. “Extraordinary times require extraordinary measures,” she said.
All commissioners will be involved to ensure comprehensive threat analysis across all domains, avoiding distinctions between A- and B-commissioners. Von der Leyen cited the example of Russian manoeuvres around gas supplies four years ago, prior to the war in Ukraine, and the influx of migrants from Iraq at the Polish border. These examples highlight the need for a broader European threat assessment.
The frequency of Council meetings has not been determined, but they will be held more regularly than in the past. Briefings from relevant services are also planned.
