He was speaking after Euro deputies on Wednesday approved the line-up of the new European Commission, following June’s elections to the European Parliament.

The commission will again be headed by Ursula von der Leyen, with Poland’s Serafin as the next budget commissioner.

“Today’s vote ends the period when the EU was concerned primarily with itself,” Serafin told reporters after the vote in Strasbourg.

“We are facing an escalation of the war in Ukraine, we’ll soon be facing a new administration in Washington, we’re facing a weakening economy,” Serafin said.

“Therefore, those who voted ‘in favor’ [of the new commission] offered the EU a chance to deal with these problems.”

He said EU member states would face a dilemma whether to invest in defense individually or through the EU.

“Today’s question to member states is this: Do we get more security for the same money if we spend a part of the defense funds together—through the European budget or other tools that could be created at the European level,” he said.

“I want the EU to become a synonym of security. It is especially important in times when a war is raging to the east of Poland.”

Two other key challenges facing Europe, according to the new commissioner, are how to reduce regulation and increase competitiveness.

Serafin’s comments come amid a sense of urgency after Donald Trump’s re-election, with the U.S. president-elect admitting that he could reduce American military support for both Ukraine and Europe.

The new European Commission will take office on December 1. Serafin will hold his post for five years