“I believe the time has come to bring Europe’s mutual defense clause to life,” von der Leyen said, without providing specifics. “Mutual defense is not optional for the EU. It is an obligation within our own Treaty — Article 42.7 … It is our collective commitment to stand by each other in case of aggression.”
But working to clarify how that article could be activated doesn’t mean junking existing reliance on NATO and the U.S. for the continent’s security. However, Europe will have to do more to stand on its own, she said.
Dusting off 42.7 is a response to a year of unparalleled attacks on the continent from Trump’s administration, from Vice President JD Vance’s scorching attack on Europe at last year’s Munich conference, to Trump casting doubt on Article 5, denigrating the contribution of allies who fought alongside the U.S. in Afghanistan and — most significantly — calling for the annexation of Greenland, a Danish territory.
“Europe needs to step up and has to take on its responsibility. Admittedly, it has taken some shock therapy,” von der Leyen said. “And some lines have been crossed that cannot be uncrossed anymore.”
The Commission president spoke after U.S Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized the U.S. and Europe’s economic, military, cultural and spiritual connections and said: “We want Europe to be strong. We believe that Europe must survive.”
Von der Leyen said that “this was for me very reassuring to listen to him,” but — in line with other European leaders — she said that the continent will have to do much more to be less reliant on others, including the United States.