Russia warns EU chief’s plans for new defence union signal confrontation

Kremlin says proposal by Ursula von der Leyen ahead of her re-election bid shows Europe’s ‘militarisation’.

Russia has warned that the European Union is growing more militarised and confrontational as a top bloc official outlined plans for a new defence union.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who is seeking a second term, said she hoped to launch a European Defence Union to deal with cross-border threats over the next five years, starting with a “European Air Shield and cyber defence”.

“We will ensure that these major projects are open to all and we will use all of the tools at our disposal – both regulatory and financial – to ensure they are designed, built and deployed on European soil as quickly as possible,” she said in a document setting out her programme before a European Parliament vote on Thursday.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the proposal demonstrates von der Leyen’s “changing priorities” and the EU’s “military colouring”.

“[It] confirms the general attitude of European states to militarisation, escalation of tension, confrontation and reliance on confrontational methods in their foreign policy,” said Peskov.