Prime Minister of Luxembourg calls for creation of European army
Photo: Prime Minister of Luxembourg Luc Frieden (flickr.com)
The Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Luc Frieden, proposed the creation of a European army, fearing that the return of Donald Trump to the presidency of the United States could weaken Europe's security guarantees, The Telegraph informs.
In his speech, Frieden proposed that the first steps toward creating such an army should be taken by a "coalition of the willing" among EU countries.
Frieden emphasized that the new army should be integrated with NATO and work in partnership with allies in North America.
"Russia’s unacceptable invasion of Ukraine has been a wake-up call," he noted, stressing the need to strengthen institutions that can defend democratic values.
European leaders are concerned that under Trump's new presidency, he might withdraw from NATO or stop aid to Ukraine, which would threaten the EU's security. In contrast, Kamala Harris' victory is seen as a continuation of the current US alliance commitments.
The creation of an EU army had long been considered unlikely due to political differences. However, since 2022, in the wake of Russia's aggression, the idea has gained more support — especially from France, where President Emmanuel Macron is actively advocating for increased European autonomy on defense matters.
However, the Baltic states are concerned that the creation of an EU army could weaken NATO, and the United Kingdom has always opposed the idea, fearing it could undermine the alliance.
Frieden suggested starting with small steps: first, creating a "coalition of the willing" among EU countries ready to pool their defense resources. He acknowledged that each country would want to retain control over the decision to send its troops to the front, but called for joint efforts to strengthen collective security.
Threat to Europe from Russia
In 2022, US President Joe Biden warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin would not stop in Ukraine. According to the American leader, without a response from the North Atlantic Alliance, war and chaos could threaten all of Europe.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly spoken about such a threat. In November 2023, Zelenskyy stated that Russia, together with Iran, was involved in escalating the situation in the Middle East and sought to provoke conflicts in other regions of the world.
