Polish MFA rejects idea of forming unified European army
Photo: Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski (Getty Images)
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski has rejected the idea of forming a European armed forces. He urged to be cautious with this term, according to Reuters.
Answering a question about the possibility of creating a European army, the foreign minister said “We should be careful with this term because people understand different things.”
“If you understand by it the unification of national armies, it will not happen,” he said.
Sikorski spoke in favor of the European Union developing its own defense capabilities. According to him, the EU is currently forming a reinforced brigade.
“If the US wants us to step up in defense, it should have a national component, a NATO component, but I also believe a European EU component, EU subsidies for the defense industry to build up our capacity to produce, but also an EU force worthy of its name,” the Polish minister said.
He reiterated that the presence of Polish troops in Ukraine is not under consideration, because "Poland's duty to NATO is to protect the eastern flank, i.e. its own territory.”
Zelenskyy's idea of the army
During his speech at the Munich Security Conference, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed to create European armed forces.
"Many leaders have talked about Europe which needs its own military and army. Army of Europe. I believe that time has come. The armed forces of Europe must be created," he said.
He also hinted that Russia is preparing an attack on NATO countries next year. The president noted that this year Russia would prepare 15 divisions for training and reinforcement in the Belarusian direction.
