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Von der Leyen calls for 'Pax Europaea' as EU unveils €800 billion defense package

Germany has pledged to raise its defense budget above 5 percent of GDP following the EU’s funding boost.

Ursula von der Leyen reçoit le Prix international Charlemagne 2025 à Aix-la-Chapelle, en Allemagne, le 29 mai 2025.
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Overview

  • Ursula von der Leyen used her 2025 Charlemagne Prize acceptance speech to call for a 'Pax Europaea', envisioning an autonomous European security structure.
  • The European Commission has released up to €800 billion to help member states boost defense spending and capabilities.
  • Germany will increase its military budget to 3.5 percent of GDP and dedicate an extra 1.5 percent of GDP to broader security expenses.
  • von der Leyen highlighted that the established international order has disintegrated and forecast a new global framework emerging before 2030.
  • The initiative addresses risks from the Russia-Ukraine war and worries over declining U.S. defense commitments in Europe.