Live: Ursula von der Leyen delivers her annual State of the Union speech

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will on Wednesday morning deliver her annual State of the Union speech.

During her address in the parliament in Strasbourg, von der Leyen is expected to outline her thoughts and priorities on how to assist Ukraine in its war against Russia, and shield European households and businesses from crippling energy costs and record inflation. 

Olena Zelenska, wife of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, will be present as von der Leyen's guest of honour.

Follow the speech, and subsequent MEPs debate in the live blog below.

The leader of the European People's Party in the European Parliament told EBS minutes before the State of the Union that his group "supports the initiatives of the Commission on energy prices", although he stressed that they also "ask for more."

"People are worried all over Europe and the Ukrainians are fighting a brave fight so we need a winter of solidarity," he added.

He also said he expects the EU needs "to fight for democracy" within its own borders and to "strengthen our own rule of law, our own ideas about democracy and freedom".

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen gives her annual State of the European Union address on Wednesday.You can watch our live Euronews coverage in the video player above or at the YouTube link below:

Euronews spoke to several Europeans ahead of the State of the Union address to see what they think about the EU.From concerns about the energy crisis to a sense that the European Union is more united amid the war in Ukraine, here's what they had to say about the state of their union. 

The war in Ukraine derailed the Commission's plans for the past 12 months but it still ticked a few things off its to-do list

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