EU chief calls for creation of 'European Security Council'

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday pitched setting up a "European Security Council" with countries including Britain and Ukraine, part of a rejig to the continent's security architecture in the face of Russia.

The move comes as Europe is grappling with what it calls a campaign of "hybrid attacks" by Moscow aimed at undermining support for Ukraine and doubts over the US role in NATO.

"For a long time, we have discussed a leaders' format focused on the security of our continent, with partners like Canada, Norway, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and others involved," von der Leyen said in her annual state of the union address.

"This is even more urgent now, given the nature and scale of the risks at play. This is why we will set out our ideas to make a European Security Council a reality."

Von der Leyen gave no details on how the new body would work or what powers it might have.

Proposals for a "security council" for Europe have been floating around for years, and have previously been promoted by French President Emmanuel Macron.

EU defence commissioner Andrius Kubilius said "key details of new defence architecture" would be fleshed out in an upcoming security strategy document.

Norway said it welcomed initiatives by the EU to include it in discussions on security.

- 'Under no illusions' -

In addition, von der Leyen also said she wanted to establish an EU "emergency security protocol" that would allow any member state to convene urgent talks of the bloc in case of crisis.

"We should be under no illusions about what is happening here: hybrid threats facing Europe are less and less hybrid and less and less threats," von der Leyen said.

"Europe needs its own counter-hybrid playbook. We urgently need a consensus on how to respond to certain incidents. Those which fall below armed aggression but clearly threaten our national security."

The mechanism would be similar to NATO's Article 4 which allows members of the alliance to request consultations if they feel threatened.

While the EU is struggling to counter Russian activities, von der Leyen pledged that the bloc would ramp up support for Kyiv as Russia steps up bombardments ahead of the winter.

"We will give our strongest-ever support to Ukraine over the toughest winter of the war," she said.

"Together with our partners, we will provide humanitarian aid and reinforce Ukraine's supplies of power and heating."

Von der Leyen backed plans to jointly "develop with Ukraine an affordable, modular missile-defence system".

She said that Europe would also step up its efforts to develop its own key military capabilities, pledging a "new European instrument for strategic enablers".