European Commission chief calls for a more independent Europe: energy, defence and supply chains

Yerevan/Brussels, May 4 (CTK correspondent) - Europe must reduce its dependencies in three areas: imported fossil fuels, defence and supply chains. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said this in Yerevan on arrival for a meeting of the European Political Community (EPC). European Council President António Costa praised the attendance in Armenia of the first non-European leader, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

The summit is taking place amid an energy crisis resulting from the US and Israeli war with Iran. Fuel prices have risen following the halt in shipping through the key Strait of Hormuz.

"We will discuss the theme of an independent Europe. We are overly dependent on imports of fossil fuels. We must focus on our own domestic energy sources, which are cheaper and reliable," von der Leyen told reporters.

She said defence was the second area where independence needs to be strengthened. "We must increase our military capabilities so that we can protect and defend ourselves," she added.

The head of the EU executive has also long advocated strengthening the resilience and diversification of EU supply chains to reduce certain dependencies (for example, on China) and increase security in response to geopolitical shocks. In Yerevan, she stressed the importance of concluding trade agreements with partners around the world. Most recently, the agreement between the EU and the Mercosur bloc began provisional application on May 1. Since Donald Trump was re-elected US president, the European Union has also concluded trade agreements with India, Indonesia, Australia and Mexico, alongside Mercosur.

The eighth meeting of the European Political Community (EPC) is being held under the slogan “Building the future: Unity and stability in Europe,” and for the first time a non-European leader, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, is attending. A total of 48 presidents and prime ministers will discuss closer cooperation and coordination needed to strengthen democratic resilience as well as economic and energy security. The summit will be co-chaired by European Council President António Costa and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Czechia is represented in Yerevan by Prime Minister Andrej Babiš.

"It is always a pleasure for me to meet Prime Minister Mark Carney, a friend and key ally of Europe," Costa wrote on social media platform X.

According to the European Council president, this demonstrates the "closeness and solidarity" between Europe and Canada. "Canada and the EU stand firmly together in defending the rules-based international order and multilateralism. We are committed to continuing to deepen our strategic partnership," Costa added.

According to the Canadian prime minister, Europe and Canada are not destined to submit to a "brutal" international order. Mark Carney said this in his remarks at the start of the EPC meeting in Yerevan. "We do not believe we are destined to submit to a more transactional, more isolated and more brutal world, and meetings like this offer us a different path," said Carney, the first non-European guest at an EPC summit.

According to Carney, security and prosperity today extend beyond areas such as food, energy and defence. We must also focus on semiconductors, digital sovereignty, critical raw materials, independent payment systems, clean energy and vaccines, he said. These areas, he added, offer opportunities for cooperation between Canada and Europe.