European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen called Europe’s earlier move away from nuclear power a “strategic mistake,” as rising global energy tensions renewed concerns about the European Union’s long-term energy security. Speaking at a nuclear summit in Paris, von der Leyen argued that abandoning atomic energy had weakened Europe’s ability to rely on stable, low-emission power sources. Before adding that the EU would support investments in “innovative nuclear technologies”, she declared: It was a strategic mistake for Europe to turn its back on a reliable, affordable source of low-emission power.
