Strasbourg – Strengthening the EU from within, reuniting Europe, and defending Ukraine while bolstering the Union’s security. These are the three key takeaways from the 2025 State of the Union, delivered by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on 10 September.
While the term “EU enlargement” was never mentioned in her speech of more than an hour to the plenary session of the European Parliament, the focus on strengthening unity and defence across the continent was unmistakable.
“Europe is in a fight. A fight for a continent that is whole and at peace. For a free and independent Europe. A fight for our values and our democracies. A fight for our liberty and our ability to determine our destiny for ourselves. Make no mistake, this is a fight for our future.” The opening of von der Leyen’s annual speech – the first of her second term – was something of a manifesto for the new mood within the EU institutions.
1. Overcoming unanimity in foreign policy
President von der Leyen called it “Europe’s Independence Moment.” From whom Europe is meant to become independent was left unsaid, but the message pointed clearly to the need for greater autonomy in “a world of imperial ambitions and imperial wars,” where “dependencies are ruthlessly weaponised.”
She did not specify whether Trump’s US – perhaps China, certainly Russia – should be counted among the “major powers that are either ambivalent or openly hostile to Europe.” Yet out of this uncertainty, marked by the return of war to the continent and increasingly fragile transatlantic ties, “a new Europe must emerge” to defend its “peace project” at a time when “the battlelines for a new world order based on power are being drawn right now.”
It was, undeniably, a wartime speech. “After all, we Europeans are not used to – or comfortable with – talking in such terms,” von der Leyen admitted. But Europe’s power, she argued, does not rest on military supremacy, but on internal unity. And that unity is, at present, under strain. “Do we have the political will and the political skill to compromise? Or do we just want to fight among ourselves?”
This is why “Europe’s Independence Moment” may above all mean strengthening internal unity through the “real reforms that are needed.” With the support of the European Parliament – which has been promised backing on the right of initiative – the Commission President made it clear that this primarily involves a “move to qualified majority in some areas, for example in foreign policy,” as the time has come to “break free from the shackles of unanimity.” A system that has long hindered progress, including on EU enlargement.
2. EU enlargement or a “reunited Europe”?
As noted, “EU enlargement” was conspicuously absent from the 2025 State of the Union. Yet the issue has not disappeared; it has been reframed. “Let’s make the next reunification of Europe happen,” von der Leyen declared. While the idea of integrating candidate countries into the European Union is clear, the term “reunification” is semantically questionable.
If Europe is to be “reunited,” it is unclear when it was ever truly united. Neither the Roman Empire nor the Holy Roman Empire provides a useful precedent – neither in terms of geographical unity, as both lacked significant portions of what is now the European Union, nor in terms of governance, democratic principles, or adherence to a peaceful expansion project. Before the division of Eastern and Western Europe during the Cold War, Europe had experienced two world wars – both started by European powers – as well as centuries of conflict on the continent.
If the expression “EU enlargement” is to be replaced – a topic that has been on The New Union Post‘s agenda since this editorial project’s inception – a more considered reflection on the most suitable terminology is needed.
The President of the Commission linked EU enlargement to the freedom to “choose our destiny.” Bringing “future members” closer to the EU means “investing, supporting reforms, integrating into the Single Market” and delivering on the merits-based process. As the future of Ukraine, Moldova, and the Western Balkans – von der Leyen did not mention Georgia – lies within the EU, a larger and stronger Union is “a security guarantee for all of us,” she added. “Because only a united – and a reunited – Europe can be an independent Europe.”
3. Ukraine’s defence, EU’s security
When talking about EU enlargement and security, Ukraine was at the heart of the 2025 State of the Union. “Freedom and independence are what the people of Ukraine are fighting for today,” von der Leyen said, emphasising that the war must end with “a just and lasting peace.” While acknowledging that “the images in Alaska were not easy to digest” – when Vladimir Putin was welcomed by Donald Trump on the red carpet – but also highlighted that European leaders’ support for Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington had delivered “real progress” on security guarantees for Ukraine within the context of a ceasefire.
However, these efforts are met by Putin’s refusal to meet Zelensky and by continued drone and missile strikes – “we have all seen what Russia means by diplomacy.” That is why Europe must continue to back Ukraine: “No one has contributed as much as Europe, nearly €170 billion in military and financial aid so far.”
A “new solution” is also being developed to finance Ukraine’s war effort using immobilised Russian assets, with more to be done in the medium and long term. This includes the proposal of a new programme – “we call it Qualitative Military Edge” – to channel investment into the capabilities of Ukraine’s armed forces, including the expansion of drone production.
Ukraine’s defence means Europe’s security, which is why present and future EU members “must be ready to take responsibility for their own security.” As von der Leyen stressed, “only a strong and credible European defence posture” can safeguard the independence of the European project. Efforts are already under way through the €150-billion SAFE instrument for joint procurement, which also involves candidate and neighbouring countries. “The programme is already at full capacity,” she noted, with 19 member states applying, and the Commission is “working to find a way to grant a bonus” to those who support or buy Ukrainian equipment.
