German Chancellor Friedrich Merz thanked Von der Leyen for providing a "European voice" to the world. Von der Leyen said that "our next great unifying project must be an independent Europe."
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was awarded the International Charlemagne Prize in Aachen. The German politician received the award in the coronation hall of Aachen Town Hall. In his speech, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that von der Leyen gives Europe a European voice in the world.
During the speech, Merzi made a strong defense of the European Union and its values, at a time when the EU is facing challenges due to Russia's attack on Ukraine and tensions with the administration of US President Donald Trump.
Merz affirmed that Europe supports the belief that freedom and democracy are worth fighting for.
He described the European Union as a "European peace project" and asserted that it must be strong not only inside but also outside it.
Merz asserted that Europe must become strong enough "to restore peace on our continent and guarantee freedom in the long term." He asserted that Germany would continue to support Ukraine not only militarily, but also economically and politically.
The German Chancellor affirmed that Germany is ready to take "far-reaching" decisions at the NATO summit in June to strengthen European security and the transatlantic relationship with the US.
The next great unifying project - an independent Europe
According to Merz, the Charlemagne Prize is fully deserved. He is convinced that we have every opportunity to shape the future of Europe so that it is a good future. It is a Europe that continues to serve the people and protect their freedom.
After Merz's speech, Von der Leyen received the Charlemagne Prize. She spoke about what Europe means to her and how she sees the continent's future. Von der Leyen then called for building an "independent Europe."
"The next great era, our next great unifying project, must be an independent Europe," Von der Leyen declared.
According to her, this applies not only to European Union countries, but also to countries across the continent.
Faced with "huge" geopolitical tensions, von der Leyen declared that "what we once took for granted as an international order has been transformed into international chaos in a very short time."
She declared that Europe must "take matters into its own hands." According to her, the world order is once again characterized by "imperial power struggles and imperial wars." Her comments come amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine and doubts raised by US President Donald Trump about the future of the transatlantic NATO alliance.
In his speech, King Felipe VI of Spain rejected calls for the breakup of the European Union. We must respond to dangerous voices that argue that Europeans would be freer, more independent and more sovereign if they lived separately in separate nations, said King Felipe VI.
The International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen has been awarded since 1950 and is considered the highest honor for merit in support of European unity. This year, for the first time, it is accompanied by one million euros, which will be invested in pro-European projects./ DW (A2 Televizion)
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