President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen has come under fire for waiting until today to convene an emergency meeting on the crisis in the Middle East.
Despite conflict erupting across the region over the weekend, she appeared slow to react.
‘Following the ongoing situation in Iran, I am convening a special Security College on Monday,’ she said on Saturday.
‘For regional security and stability, it is of the utmost importance that there is no further escalation through Iran’s unjustified attacks on partners in the region.’
Her announcement was met with ridicule on social media, with many questioning why European leaders had to wait until today to discuss the perilous situation.
‘World War 3 is happening live, Europeans: “The war starts on Monday”, one user replied to Mrs von der Leyen’s post.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pictured making a statement at the EU Commission headquarter in Brussels last month
‘Everything you need to know about European strategic irrelevance in one tweet,’ another wrote.
Foreign ministers from the EU’s 27 nations – most of which are Nato members – did hold talks to discuss the situation via video link over the weekend.
Mrs von der Leyen issued another statement calling for a ‘credible transition’ in Iran. Writing on social media after calls with several Middle East leaders, she said Ali Khamenei’s death spurred ‘renewed hope for the people of Iran’.
‘This moment carries a real risk of instability that could push the region into a spiral of violence,’ she added.
