WORLD NEWS FOR MONTENEGRO DIASPORA
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AUTHOR:M.J. GDNUS
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said today that she will meet with US President Donald Trump "when the time is right" and announced that she will convene the first Security College in the coming weeks, which will consist of all members of the European Commission with the aim of regularly receiving information on security developments.
At a press conference in Brussels, ahead of 100 days of her second mandate at the head of the Commission, von der Leyen also announced the presentation of an omnibus package to simplify rules and reduce bureaucracy, including in the defense sector, as well as the adoption of a legislative proposal for the return of migrants.
"In the coming weeks, I will convene the first Security College. This will ensure that the members of the College receive regular information on security developments, whether it is internal security or external security, but also on energy, defense, research. Think of cyber (threats), trade, external interference," said von der Leyen, adding that it is only possible to contribute to collective security if threats, including hybrid threats, are "clearly and deeply" understood, reports Tanjug.
She also announced that the Commission would adopt on Tuesday an "ambitious legislative proposal" on the return of migrants, which is a key element of the Pact on Migration and Asylum.
When asked whether she thought she would have to work on de-escalating relations with the US during her mandate, von der Leyen replied that "it is clear not to".
"It's a completely different relationship with the US than the one we have with China," the EC President stressed.
Asked if she was working on a meeting with Trump and when asked if the US seemed in no hurry to meet with any EU officials, von der Leyen recalled that she had first met Trump when he was in the last year of his first term and she was in the first year of her first term.
"There are contacts, but I think we will have a personal meeting when the time is right," von der Leyen said.
When asked whether the US was still an EU ally after the decision to suspend military aid to Ukraine and intelligence sharing with that country, she stressed that the US was an ally in the transatlantic alliance.
"From the EU's point of view, I think this is a very strong wake-up call and a moment for Europe to now strengthen its defenses and give itself the position we need," von der Leyen said.
She also spoke about how "the world around us is changing at lightning speed" and how "geopolitical changes are shaking alliances".
"Decades of security are collapsing. And we still have a brutal war raging on our borders", said von der Leyen, emphasizing in this context that the European Commission has always moved along a path based on three pillars: prosperity, security and democracy.
At the same time, she assessed that what has changed in the first 100 days of her second mandate is a "sense of urgency" because fundamental changes have occurred.
"Our European values, democracy, freedom, the rule of law are under threat. We see that sovereignty, but also ironclad obligations, are being called into question. Everything has become transactional. The pace of change has accelerated, and the actions that are needed must be bold and decisive", said von der Leyen.
She also recalled that this week her €800 billion plan to rearm Europe received unanimous support from EU member states and could form the basis of a European defense union.
"The idea behind this is that we need to unleash our full potential in the face of concrete threats. And if we can team up with other like-minded countries, such as the United Kingdom, Norway or Canada, the potential is even greater," she said, stressing that economic strength and a rearmament plan are "two sides of the same coin."
