EU weighs replacing US troops with unified European army
Photo: European Commissioner for Defense Andrius Kubilius (Getty Images)
EU countries should consider establishing a joint armed force that could, in the future, replace US troops in Europe, currently numbering about 100,000, according to European Commissioner for Defense Andrius Kubilius.
Speaking at a security conference in Sweden on January 11, Kubilius said Europe must establish its own permanent European armed forces with a strength of at least 100,000 troops to better protect the continent.
"How will we replace the 100,000-strong American regular military forces that form the backbone of military power in Europe?" he asked.
In addition, Kubilius proposed creating a European Security Council. It would consist exclusively of leading European Union countries, though the possibility of including the United Kingdom is not ruled out. Such a body could significantly speed up defense-related decision-making and efforts to change the dynamics of the war in Ukraine.
"The European Security Council could consist of key permanent members, as well as several members on a rotational basis—around 10 to 12 in total—whose task would be to discuss the most important defense issues," he emphasized.
On January 10, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares called for the creation of unified European army and integration of the EU's defense industry. In his view, this would allow the EU to act independently of third countries and strengthen its security.
Meanwhile, in France, amid threats by US President Donald Trump to take Greenland from Denmark, left-wing political forces initiated a resolution calling for a gradual withdrawal from NATO. They argued that the Alliance serves US interests rather than Europe's. The French government did not officially support the proposal.
There is precedent for France partially withdrawing from the Alliance. In 1966, President Charles de Gaulle removed France from NATO's military command structure, although the country remained a formal member of the Alliance. This occurred against the backdrop of a significant deterioration in relations between Paris and Washington. France returned to NATO's military command structure only in 2009, during Nicolas Sarkozy's presidency.
