The Kremlin said Thursday that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s promises to create a “real European defense union” if she wins a second term speak to the mood in Europe toward militarization and confrontation.
In a document outlining her program ahead of a European Parliament vote on her second term, Von der Leyen said the effort would include leading air and cyber defense projects over the next five years, Reuters reported.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the document reflected Von der Leyen’s “shifting priorities” and said her proposals gave the European Union a “military color”.
Peskov told reporters that her proposal “confirms the general attitude of European states towards militarization, escalation of tension, confrontation and reliance on confrontational methods in their foreign policy.”
“Everything is quite obvious here,” said Peskov.
He emphasized that although Russia does not pose a threat to the EU, the actions of the member states regarding Ukraine “exclude any possibility of dialogue and consideration of Russia’s concerns.”
