European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen spoke at a plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg on October 6, 2026, in preparation for the upcoming European Council meeting scheduled for October 15-16. The address was directed at the parliament's chair, Minister Birne, and members of parliament. At the beginning of her speech, von der Leyen raised an issue affecting all EU citizens — high energy prices. She noted that this problem remains one of the key challenges for the economies of member states and the well-being of their populations. The address was part of preparations by EU institutions for discussions of current issues at the level of heads of state and government. It is expected that at the upcoming European Council summit, leaders of member states will consider issues of energy policy and other priority topics on the European agenda. Traditionally, such addresses to the European Parliament precede EU Council meetings and serve as a platform for the European Commission to present its position on current issues facing the Union.