STRASBOURG, France, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- Europe needs to speed up its push for independence in a fast-changing world, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday.
"We are at a crossroads," von der Leyen said in a speech delivered in the European Parliament. "Europe prefers dialogue and solutions -- but we are fully prepared to act, if necessary, with unity, urgency and determination."
"In this increasingly lawless world," Europe needs its own levers of power, she said, adding, "We know them: A strong economy, a thriving Single Market and industrial base... a strong innovation and technology capacity... and above a real capacity to defend ourselves." ■
