Source: European Commission (video statements)
"The only lasting way out of the fossil dependency is shifting electricity generation to renewables and nuclear." – President Ursula von der Leyen
On 13 April 2026, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen gave a press statement on the impact of the situation in the Middle East on Europe.
In her statement, President von der Leyen warned that the Middle East crisis has cost the EU €22 billion extra in fossil fuel imports in just 44 days, with no added supply. She called for urgent EU coordination on energy reserves, targeted aid for households, and temporary State aid rules by April. Long-term, she pushed for faster expansion of renewables and nuclear (now 70% of EU electricity) and electrification, backed by public funds and private investment. Concrete proposals will be finalised ahead of the informal European Council meeting in Cyprus next week.
The core message was clear: Europe must transition faster to homegrown, affordable energy to escape the volatility of fossil fuels.
For the full transcript of the statement, see here: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/statement_26_800
Watch on the Audiovisual Portal of the European Commission:
https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/media/video/I-287383
Disclaimer: Comments considered in breach of our social media moderation policy may be removed. You can take a look at it here: https://europa.eu/!q4KMP8
Follow us on:
-X: https://twitter.com/EU_Commission
-Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/europeancommission/
-Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EuropeanCommission
-LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/european-commission/
-Medium: https://medium.com/@EuropeanCommission
Check our website: https://commission.europa.eu/