European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has warned that Europe must quickly strengthen its military. She urged European governments to allow their countries to spend more on defense.

Von der Leyen made this statement on Sunday, March 2, after a meeting in London about supporting Ukraine. Her warning comes after tensions between leaders, including former U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

She also stressed that Europe must prove to the United States that it is serious about defending democracy. This means taking responsibility for its own security and being ready to respond to threats.

Many European countries have already increased their defense budgets after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. However, Von der Leyen believes more must be done to ensure Europe is well-prepared for any future challenges.

“After a long period of underinvestment, it is now of utmost importance to increase defence investment for a sustained period.

“Member states need greater fiscal flexibility to enable a surge in defence spending,” she said