As the 27-nation bloc deals with an assertive Russia and waning US backing, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen called for a "surge" in European defense spending.
Von der Leyen told parliamentarians in Strasbourg that the continent could no longer depend on "America's full protection" and that Europe's security order was "being shaken."
With EU leaders last week approving a commission plan to mobilize up to €800 billion ($860 billion) to enhance defense spending, Brussels has already made it obvious that it is headed in that direction.
According to the defense proposal, members might receive up to €150 billion in EU-backed loans, and budgetary regulations would be loosened to permit them to spend much more.
US President Donald Trump has questioned whether the US, which has been Europe's security guarantee since World War II, should maintain its pivotal role in NATO, putting pressure on European states to strengthen their defenses.
As he looks to rapprochement with Russia to end the war in Ukraine, Trump has shifted away from the US' transatlantic allies, which has raised concerns that Kyiv may be pressured into an unfavorable agreement.
The commission plan also removes restrictions on defense spending by the European Investment Bank, the lending arm of the union, and permits member states to redistribute so-called "cohesion" money meant for the advancement of less developed European nations.
"We all wish we could live in more peaceful times. But I am confident that, if we unleash our industrial power, we can restore deterrence against those who seek to do us harm," she said.
At a summit in Brussels next week, the commission will present a white paper outlining additional alternatives to "substantially boost financing for European defense" as part of ongoing discussions on how to strengthen the bloc's military power.
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"The European Council will continue to take work forward to build our deterrence, to strengthen the security of our continent," Antonio Costa, who heads the body bringing together the 27 EU states, told lawmakers in Strasbourg.