In her State of the European Union address, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced plans to freeze all EU payments to Israel while maintaining support for Israeli civil society and Yad Vashem. She said the Commission would act independently to bypass the need for majority approval, including possible sanctions against Israeli ministers and violent West Bank settlers. She also proposed a partial suspension of the EU–Israel trade agreement and announced an October donor conference for Gaza reconstruction, stressing the importance of a two-state solution for lasting peace.
Beyond foreign policy, von der Leyen called for stronger cooperation within EU institutions, reduced bureaucracy, and enhanced competitiveness. She highlighted the digital euro as a way to simplify business and individual transactions and announced a roadmap by 2028 to strengthen the single market, focusing on energy, telecommunications, and capital. She emphasized the need for gigafactories for AI and framed Europe’s efforts as a fight for values, democracy, freedom, and self-determination.
