Luxembourg Prime Minister Luc Frieden has called for a stronger and more strategically independent Europe, arguing that European countries need to improve their ability to respond to security and geopolitical challenges.

Frieden made the remarks during the Singapore Lecture Series on September 8, 2026, where he outlined his vision for Europe’s role in a rapidly changing international environment. The speech was published by the Luxembourg government as its latest official update.

The Luxembourg prime minister said Europe should remain true to its own identity rather than attempting to imitate major global powers. He described the European Union as a project built around peace, freedom, prosperity and cooperation between countries while preserving their national identities.

A major theme of his address was European strategic autonomy. Frieden argued that recent international crises have demonstrated the risks of excessive dependence on external partners for essential resources and security capabilities.

He pointed to several developments, including Russia’s war against Ukraine, changes in US policy toward European defence and previous disruptions involving energy supplies. In his view, these events have made it increasingly important for European countries to strengthen their own resilience and deterrence capabilities.

Defence was therefore presented as one of the areas where Europe needs deeper cooperation. Frieden said increased European defence spending should be directed toward developing an integrated European industrial base capable of producing the equipment required for the continent’s security.

The Luxembourg leader also highlighted his country’s involvement in the creation of a new multilateral financial institution focused on defence, security and resilience. Luxembourg has worked with Canada on establishing the initiative, which is intended to provide financial support connected with these strategic priorities.

Frieden’s remarks came during an official visit to Singapore, where Luxembourg is seeking to strengthen ties with another small but internationally connected country. He argued that smaller nations can have an important influence when they act as connectors between larger powers and institutions.

The speech also reflected Luxembourg’s preference for multilateral cooperation. Rather than pursuing isolation, Frieden presented European sovereignty as the ability to make independent choices while continuing to cooperate internationally.

The prime minister’s message comes as European governments face growing pressure to strengthen defence capabilities, protect supply chains and reduce strategic dependencies.

Luxembourg’s latest government statement therefore places European resilience, defence cooperation and strategic autonomy at the centre of the country’s broader international outlook.

The official Luxembourg government website identifies Frieden’s Singapore Lecture Series speech, published on September 8, 2026, as its latest English-language government update.