“The EU must take decisive action to strengthen its position as a just peace broker to act in favour of a rule-based international order”. This call comes from the Initiative of Christians for Europe (IXE), a network of lay organisations and committed Christians from different European countries that met in Prague a few days ago. “Facing geopolitical threats: A Christian perspective on the new legislative term” is the title of the document published after the meeting. The EU must go beyond the approach of the “Strategic Compass”, towards a “deeper Europeanisation of defence policy and permanent support for joint procurement by the Member States”. The document also calls for a key role for the new Commissioner for Defence and proposes that “the development of these new structures” “be subject to effective parliamentary control”. Full support is expressed for NATO as well as opposition to “any attempts to weaken it”. Also, the EU is called upon “to be not only an economic and political, but also a Security Union”. As for the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the position is crystal clear: “We want a just peace, but not at the price of freedom, democracy and human rights”, the document reads. “Permanent support for Ukraine as well as a unified foreign policy of the EU member states are challenging, but indispensable”. Because, the document goes on to read, if Europe lacks unity on security issues, it “paves the way for military autocratic aggression”, which is why we need qualified majority decisions in the Foreign Affairs Council. The document addresses the defence of truth and the fight against disinformation which is “one of the most erosive elements” of democracy: “Populists only raise problems, at times even invent them – they never solve problems”. IXE instead calls for “a strong Europe that is able to act in a global alliance of democracies”. Finally: “As Christians, we will oppose where human dignity comes under attack and we will remain committed to the struggle for the common good”.