Ursula von der Leyen

As the war in the Middle East continues, energy prices keep being under pressure. Today at EUCO I presented a plan to bring immediate relief where possible and structural changes where needed. We will act on all four components of electricity prices ↓ twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1…

Timely meeting with @antonioguterres. Repercussions of the war in the Middle East are global, and it is our responsibility to work for de-escalation and a diplomatic solution. The EU and its Member States are the largest contributor to the @UN. We are strongly committed to upholding international law and building a world where multilateral cooperation prevails.

Dear President @Christodulides Europe stands in full solidarity with Cyprus, amid the instability caused by the crisis in the Middle East. Together, we continue engaging on de-escalation, continuing our work with regional partners. Tomorrow at EUCO, we will discuss how to cushion the impact of this crisis on our European economy. Especially on energy. I will work closely on this with you and @CY2026EU.

Our social market economy is what protects Europe’s social fabric in these volatile times. And we must strengthen it even further. As we design solutions to the current crises, it is vital to engage closely with the social partners. I’m thankful for our close cooperation.

Europe has the talent, the ideas and the ambition to become the best place for innovators. → link.europa.eu/98NtPw

To help EU Inc. companies compete for the best people, employee stock options will be simpler to offer and easier to manage across borders. We will also fully digitalise insolvency procedures and introduce a fast-track insolvency process for startups. So that EU entrepreneurs can start again, more easily.

With EU Inc., we are making it drastically easier to start and grow a business all across Europe ↓ twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1…

Just had a phone call with Prime Minister @mohamedshia about the current security situation. I thanked the Prime Minister for encouraging restraint in this difficult moment and keeping the country out of the war. I also offered my condolences for the lives lost as a result of unprovoked and unacceptable attacks on Iraqi territory. The EU is a reliable partner that will continue to support the Republic of Iraq, its stability and sovereignty, and de-escalation across the region.

Today, as part of the Moldova Growth Plan, we are delivering €189 million following the successful completion of 24 key reforms. Moldova is advancing reforms at record speed, boosting investor confidence and reshaping its future.

Statement with @eucopresident on the Druzhba pipeline Following the renewed Russian strikes on January 27 on the Druzhba pipeline, leading to the interruption of crude oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia, we have engaged in intense discussions with Member States and Ukraine at all levels to restore the flow of oil to Hungary and Slovakia. The EU has offered Ukraine technical support and funding. The Ukrainians have welcomed and accepted this offer. European experts are available immediately. Our priority is to ensure energy security for all European citizens. In this sense, we will continue to work with the concerned parties on alternative routes for the transit of non-Russian crude oil to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe.

Just spoke with @IKRPresident Nechirvan Barzani about the ongoing security situation in the Middle East and Gulf Region. Today, Kurdistan Region’s role as a stabilising force is more critical than ever. The EU is determined to work alongside you to ensure safety and protect the hard-earned progress in rebuilding. We will continue supporting the Republic of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

Good meeting with @DrSJaishankar today. At the EU-India Summit in January, we concluded our Free Trade Agreement – the mother of all deals – and signed a Security and Defence Partnership. Now we are focused on efficient implementation, to deliver for the people of Europe and India as soon as possible. We also discussed developments in the Middle East and in Ukraine. De-escalation, stability and energy security are our shared objectives.

Thank you @EmmanuelMacron for organising a call with G7 partners to discuss a coordinated response to the concerning situation in Iran and the Middle East. We are focused on minimising the impact on security and the global energy market. @eucopresident and I recalled that the immediate priority is to keep energy flows moving, especially navigation through the Strait of Hormuz - critical for the global economy. Enforcing the oil price cap will help stabilise markets and limit Russia’s revenues. This is not the moment to relax sanctions on Russia. We both welcomed today’s decision by the IEA to make 400 million barrels of emergency reserve oil available to ease tensions in global energy supply. We agreed to work closely with partners in the region to prevent broadening of the conflict and restore stability.

Good call with President Joseph Aoun. I expressed Europe’s solidarity with Lebanon and its people. We are providing EUR 100 million in humanitarian support. Yesterday, we delivered over 40 tonnes of supplies and we plan to organise more humanitarian flights. I welcome the government’s decision to ban all Hezbollah military activities and its call to end all hostilities. We must ensure a sovereign and stable Lebanon for its people.

Our choice to diversify towards homegrown renewables and nuclear paid off. But we are not immune to price shocks. Households and companies face pressure today. So, we must deliver relief now. We must comprehensively look at how we can reduce people’s energy bills. And look at the 4 components of the price: the cost of the energy itself, grid charges, taxes and levies and carbon costs.

Europe’s first responsibility is to protect our citizens and prepare for the impacts of the conflict in the Middle East. We are already seeing the impact of the situation in the Middle East on energy ↓ twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1…

There is hope that this moment can open a path towards a free Iran. That is what the Iranian people deserve : freedom, dignity, and the right to decide their own future. But allow me to make one important point. Seeing the world as it is in no way diminishes our determination to fight for the world we want.

I met Prime Minister @RobertFicoSVK in Paris today. We discussed the need for affordable energy prices for Europeans while maintaining secure supplies for Slovakia and the EU. Our energy independence is at stake. This will also be a central topic at our upcoming EUCO Summit. We also discussed the rollout of #NextGenEU and steps needed, including in the justice area, for Slovakia to benefit from these investments to the fullest.

Today we are presenting a new European strategy for Small Modular Reactors. Our goal is simple. We want this new technology to be operational in Europe by the early 2030s. And to back this we will create a €200M guarantee, to support private investment in innovative nuclear technologies.

The nuclear tech race is on. Europe has everything it needs to lead. We have half a million highly-skilled workers in nuclear. We have the ambition to move at speed and scale. For Europe to be a global hub of next-generation nuclear energy.

Europe needs homegrown, low-carbon energy sources. Nuclear & renewables together have a key role to play Nuclear energy is available around the clock, providing electricity all year. Europe has been a pioneer in nuclear technology. And can lead again ↓ twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1…