European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called for more EU power over security, social control, and militarization, while announcing tighter restrictions on Russia and avoiding Israel, during her sixth state of the union set-piece.
Key calls include:
- A new security architecture that extends beyond the EU to include the UK and Canada
- Further militarization of the EU and unilateral diversion of unused loan funding to Kiev
- A bloc-wide group focusing on stockpiling critical minerals and rare earth materials
- Expansion of the EU staff in Brussels
- Rebooting nuclear power generation, despite having overseen the shutdown of the industry
- Radical investment in AI and the required energy grid to support it
- An EU kids act to restrict access to social media and more censorship by her own online team
In the presence of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, a former Bank of England chief and a poster-boy for an anti-Trump posturing, von der Leyen unilaterally announced that Canada would be granted 'Associate Membership' – a status without any legal definition.
Carney had, according to the Financial Times this morning, hoped for more.
She offered no solutions to the energy crisis consuming the bloc, nor did she offer solutions to the cost crisis crippling consumers as the bloc moves into winter.
16 September 2026
Left group leader Manon Aubry criticized Carney’s presence in the chamber, specifically von der Leyen’s unilaterally-announced plan to give Canada ‘Associate Membership’ and deepened security collaboration with Ottawa.
“Who has given you a democratic mandate to do that?” she asked.
Valerie Hayer of Renew Europe calls for pro-European radicalism, accusing Italian PM Giorgia Meloni of hypocrisy.
Patryk Jaki of the European Conservatives and Reformists takes a six-year look at von der Leyen’s record, from 2020.
“According to data from 19 European countries, more than €4 billion was wasted on vaccines. In Poland, money spent on swingers clubs, tanning beds and pizzerias. In 2020, you promised less bureaucracy, now new recruitment for more EU staff has been announced.”
Jaki claims von der Leyen “managed to tighten bottlecaps and turn Europeans into involuntary rubbish collectors,” a clear snipe at the EU’s overbearing recycling initiatives, before accusing her of censoring the internet and claiming children need truth online.
“We’re regulating things we no longer produce and taxing things we no longer know how to make,” Bardella says. “We need a new European architecture... Let’s get rid of red tape, protect our farmers from unfair competition. Let’s free ourselves from the aggressive ideology of de-growth. The 21st century reminds us of a truth Europe has forgotten – a people that cannot defend its borders, produce its energy, and feed its children leaves its destiny to others. Today in Brussels the time has come to change things.
French MEP Jordan Bardella – president of the National Rally party – has torn into von der Leyen following her speech. “Every year we hear you glorifying what you’ve done and every year we hear Europe is about to be relaunched,” he says.
“In 2026, we have the Europe of those who write the rules, bureaucrats who waste public money, increase salaries by 49% and private jets by 59%. And then there’s the second Europe who have to pay for this, pay for petrol and heating that has risen by 50%. That is the state of the union,” Bardella says.
Bardella is scathing – saying that not only is von der Leyen’s Europe more expensive, but it protects its people less and less, citing the migrant crisis in the Spanish exclave of Ceuta.
Important note: Legally, there is no such thing as Associate EU Membership. It is not mentioned in the bloc’s founding treaties.
RECAP: Von der Leyen confirmed that unspent EU defense loans will be used to fund joint projects with Ukrainian weapons makers. Approximately €10-15 billion is available to Kiev’s corrupt arms industry, including the notorious Fire Point, about which RT has written.
“Long live Europe,” von der Leyen proclaims in English, German, and French as she concludes her address.
“We will soon be proposing road-maps for candidates that have made most progress, based on merit, and respect for our values is non-negotiable.” Von der Leyen notes her own horror at photos of the funeral of late Serbian General Ratko Mladic, who died in custody in The Hague.
The EU must also work together with Ukraine “to reduce our dependency on a single supplier” of air defense systems, von der Leyen says.
The recently launched Freyja project, aimed at developing a European-made alternative to US-made Patriots, “is only the beginning. More is needed,” she stresses.
“We have to win back the hearts of Europeans,” von der Leyen announces (not including Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and the UK).
Taking aim at big tech, von der Leyen says: “No social media under 13, no personal account under 15 – mini accounts set up and supervised, limited features, and time restrictions. Between 15 and 18, safe design will be an obligation for platforms. We do not have to accept addictive features. We do not have to accept that girls have photos used for AI-generated sexualized images. As we do not accept this, we are reversing the burden of proof. Now platforms will have to prove that they are safe. It is about when and how we allow social media to access our minors. It is us who decide the rules, not big tech.”
The EU practices media capture through funding and controlling through legislation, media eco-systems, and anti-EU narratives in member states. Here’s a robust assessment of how the EU’s Digital Services Act is used to control messaging in the bloc.
Von der Leyen celebrates an election result in a member state – quite enormous overreach that should frighten every EU member. “In Europe we form opinions based on reliable information. This openness is our biggest strength. We need a collective capacity to anticipate detect and respond, why I launched a centre for democratic resilience. But we should be under no illusion, the threats to our democracies do not only come from the outside. We see the rise of antidemocratic, anti-European [sic] forces.”
The EU will continue to support Ukraine during what is expected to become “the hardest winter of the war,” including with weapons, humanitarian aid, and energy system repairs, von der Leyen says.
“We will strengthen Ukraine’s air defense. Last week, for the first time, we agreed for the first time on the purchase of American Patriot defense missiles. These now urgently need to be delivered,” she insists.
“I want to directly address the people of Spain. Ceuta’s border is a European border, and Europe [sic] will be there for you. We finally have a common European framework for migration.” The collapse of consensus in the Schengen area immediately after the Ceuta mass invasion would suggest otherwise.
Israeli extremist expansion in the West Bank is “unacceptable,” von der Leyen claims. No mention of further sanctions or any additional measures.
Von der Leyen makes the usual pronouncements on Ukraine, without mentioning how Vladimir Zelensky’s disastrous stance, backed by Brussels, has led Kiev to political, military, economic, and demographic disaster. RT covered the four areas to mark 35 years of Ukraine’s independence in late August.
The EU sanctions are “painful” for Russia, von der Leyen claims, insisting that pressure on Moscow must continue.
“This does not always require new sanctions, but above all, the enforcement of existing ones,” she adds, indicating that the 22nd package should not be expected anytime soon.
Von der Leyen called the presence of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at her speech “a symbol of enduring friendship” between the EU and the country. Bilateral trade grew by more than 70% over the past decade, she adds.
Brussels and Ottawa stand together on Ukraine, security, supply chains, and promotion of democracy, she says.
They will work together in the economic and security spaces, while making “the Arctic a flagship joint project,” the EU chief stresses.
Von der Leyen has turned to German to speak about Ukraine. “The people of Ukraine are fighting for our freedom and self determination.”
Following her evidence-free assertion of drone-based incursions and operations, von der Leyen announces the creation of a European Security Council.
Von der Leyen called the presence of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at her speech “a symbol of enduring friendship” between the EU and the country. Bilateral trade grew by more than 70% over the past decade, she adds.
Brussels and Ottawa stand together on Ukraine, security, supply chains, and promotion of democracy, she says.
They will work together in the economic and security spaces, while making “the Arctic a flagship joint project,” the EU chief stresses.
Von der Leyen cites unproven allegations of a Russian drone operation at Leipzig airport. She makes no mention of the rash of fake claims made by governments and her staff since last September.
RT has taken the trouble to outline for you the truth behind the EU’s drone hysteria.
Von der Leyen announces that Canada has become the first associate member of the EU. Vladimir Zelensky is nowhere to be found
Von der Leyen turns to rights, declaring: “There are some people who want to backslide on women’s rights!” There is no indication of who that could be. To resounding applause, she shouts: “Let me be clear! Women are here to stay!”
“I am an optimist that AI has the potential to benefit if we get it right. Possibilities on the one hand and risks on the other... The dangers of self-improving models are becoming ever-more apparent. After the Hugging Face incidents developers are ringing the alarm and CEOs of the most advanced companies are telling us it is time to slow down,” von der Leyen says. (Best of times, worst of times.)
As of early August, 2026 ranks fourth in the EU for cumulative area burnt by wildfires, according to the Global Wildfire Information System.
The 489,826 hectares that has burned in the EU is the highest figure after 2012 (863,122 ha), 2022 (799,040 ha), and 2017 (743,906 ha).
Von der Leyen addresses the climate catastrophe that has beset Western Europe this summer – announcing a new organization to assess risks. As expected, she announces she has asked for proposals for an EU firefighting fleet. She tells another story... mutti Ursula in action.
“We have too many dangerous dependencies in critical minerals and rare earth. We need to urgently procure and build up reserves. No country can do this on its own. This is why we will establish a new European corporation on critical raw materials to stockpile what we need for batteries and tech and defense. Our industry, independence, and security depend on this,” von der Leyen says.
Von der Leyen tells her annual happy story about successful young people who met on an Erasmus course, and built a business with offices in three EU countries. She’s hard-mixing the EU with Europe now.
EU firms must compete on a level playing field with China, von der Leyen says.
The bloc’s trade deficit with Beijing has reached €1 billion a day, which is “a tipping point,” she argues.
Brussels is ready to “use all tools at its disposal to re-balance its relationship with China,” the EU chief says.
The goal of the bloc should be “building an independent Europe that has the power to act,” von der Leyen says.
“We must not let divisions hold us back” or allow “proxies and puppets of authoritarians” to undermine the EU’s democratic institutions, she insists.
The EU economy withstood the fallout of the US war against Iran “better than expected,” von der Leyen claims.
Von der Leyen says the union is “never so strong and never so precarious. Great possibilities and great perils. Europe has chosen to forge its own path, and a stronger more independent Europe is now emerging. Breaking free from toxic dependency from Russian fossil fuels.
“This is a union that stands up for each other as we are doing by standing up for Ukraine, or Greenland.”
Neither Ukraine nor Greenland is in the EU.
Von der Leyen begins her speech by saying that the world is facing “exceptional” challenges.
In these conditions, “a stronger and more independent Europe is emerging,” breaking free from dependence from Russian energy, increasing defense spending by 80% over the last five years, and continuing to stand with Ukraine, she says.
MEPs are slowly making their way into the plenary chamber in Strasbourg.
The session will begin with a speech by European Parliament President Roberta Metsola.
Ursula von der Leyen, Roberta Metsola, and Mark Carney, the guest of honor, have entered the plenary chamber together.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said lawmakers will “ask questions and demand answers” from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during her State of the Union address.
She highlighted four priorities: competitiveness, security, climate action, and social protection, while noting “too many gaps” remain across the EU.
Metsola also welcomed the visit by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, saying it reflected the EU’s push to deepen ties with global partners.