European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen spoke on Wednesday before the European Parliament and officially presented her nominees for the new College of Commissioners and its program for the future.
The names von der Leyen asked the EP to back include former Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas as Vice-President and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, ex-French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne as executive VP for industry and internal market, Interinstitutional Relations Commissioner Maros Sefcovic as head of the fair trade department, and once Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius as the European Union's first-ever defense commissioner.
Furthermore, von der Leyen insisted that "[t]he dream of Europe extends to the Western Balkans, to Ukraine, to Moldova and beyond ... At the same time, we have seen how Russia will stop at nothing to prevent them having a European future. But honourable Members, Europe's commitment to these countries will always be stronger."