EU chief von der Leyen delivers State of the Union address

LIVE UPDATES The speech is aimed at setting out priorities for the next year and presenting a vision for dealing with the challenges faced by the bloc Published 16 Sep, 2026 07:00 | Updated 16 Sep, 2026 07:24European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is making her State of the Union address to the EU Parliament in Strasbourg.The speech is expected to touch on issues including the Ukraine conflict, the Middle East crisis, AI, climate change, and online protection for children.Reports claim that von der Leyen could also propose a ‘European Security Council’ that would include not just EU member states, but also Ukraine and Canada.16 September 202607:42 GMT“I am an optimist that AI has the potential to benefit if we get it right. Possibilities on the one hand and risks on the other... The dangers of self-improving models are becoming ever-more apparent. After the Hugging Face incidents developers are ringing the alarm and CEOs of the most advanced companies are telling us it is time to slow down,” von der Leyen says. (Best of times, worst of times.)07:39 GMTAs of early August, 2026 ranks fourth in the EU for cumulative area burnt by wildfires, according to the Global Wildfire ...