EU must step up and build defence, says von der Leyen

After the Afghan pull-out the EU needed the "political will" to intervene militarily without US-led Nato

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said the EU should seek to beef up its military capabilities to confront security threats and global crises, Qazet.az reports citing Daily Mail.

She told the European Parliament she believed EU military forces would be "part of the solution".

After the Afghan pull-out the EU needed the "political will" to intervene militarily without US-led Nato.

France will host an EU defence summit next year, she added.

"It is time for Europe to step up to the next level," Mrs von der Leyen said in her annual State of the Union address.