Europe must be responsible for its own security, EU's von der Leyen says

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivers the keynote speech at the second Conference of the Global Alliance to Counter Migrant Smuggling, in Brussels, Belgium December 10, 2025. REUTERS/Yves Herman

BRUSSELS, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Europe must be responsible for its own security, European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday.

"This is no longer an option. It is a must," she told the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

She added that Europe "cannot afford to let others define its worldview," adding that while the U.S. national security strategy is right to say that Europe's share of global GDP is declining, the United States is on "the same path."

(Reporting by Lili Bayer, Writing by Louise Rasmussen, editing by Charlotte Van Campenhout)