Von der Leyen pledges air shield in new EU defence push

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pledged on Thursday to create "a true European Defence Union" over the next five years, with flagship projects on air and cyber defence, if she wins a second term.

"Member States will always retain responsibility for their own troops, from doctrine to deployment," von der Leyen said in a document setting out her programme before a European Parliament vote later in the day on granting her another term.

"But there is a lot Europe can do to support and coordinate efforts to strengthen the defence industrial base, innovation and the (European) single market," she added.

The document's focus on defence reflected how the issue has surged to the top of the European political agenda following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

European leaders have stressed they must do more to bolster their own defences, especially given doubts over how much they can rely on the United States for protection if Republican Donald Trump wins the U.S. presidential election in November.

Against this backdrop, the European Commission is seeking to play a greater role in defence policy - an area that has traditionally been the domain of national governments and NATO.

Von der Leyen confirmed she planned to appoint a European Commissioner for Defence - a new post - and said the Commission would present a "White Paper on the Future of European Defence" in the first 100 days of its next term.

She said major EU defence projects "should focus on our biggest common and cross-border threats".

"Working with Member States and in close coordination with NATO, we will propose a number of Defence Projects of Common European Interest starting with a European Air Shield and cyber defence," she said.

"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."

Von der Leyen did not say how such projects would be funded. But she said her Commission would make "proposals for urgent defence investment needs".

(Reporting by Andrew Gray)

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