Updated

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed a new EU security strategy intended to complement NATO's Article 4 consultation mechanism, aimed at countering Russian hybrid attacks on member states amid a wave of drone incursions and other provocations. During her annual address to the European Parliament, she also unveiled a proposal to create a European Security Council bringing together EU leaders and counterparts from partner countries including Canada, Norway, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom, alongside a threat-alert system designed to operate independently of NATO. Von der Leyen also signaled plans to use remaining funds from the EU's Security Action for Europe (SAFE) programme to create a separate scheme for joint projects with Ukrainian companies, a move that reportedly caught Poland and several other member states off guard. The overlapping announcements reflect a broader push by Brussels to deepen security cooperation with Ukraine and allied nations even as some EU governments express surprise over the scope and rollout of the plans.