Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares has put forward an initiative to create a joint European army, calling on EU countries to move in this direction to strengthen their own defence capabilities and reduce their dependence on external partners.
In an interview with German magazine Der Spiegel, Albares stressed that Europe needs its own army as a tool to deter external threats. According to him, the first step should be to integrate the EU’s defence industry, followed by the formation of a ‘coalition of the willing’ ready for closer military cooperation.
‘We need a European army. We can easily implement intermediate steps: first, integrate our defence companies, and then create a “coalition of the willing”. If we are ready to do this for Ukraine, then we must be ready to defend the European Union itself in the same way,’ said the Spanish Foreign Minister.
The initiative came amid discussions about the threats posed by Donald Trump’s statements on Greenland, as well as general uncertainty in transatlantic relations. Albares emphasised that a joint European army would not replace NATO, but would complement it, making the EU more independent in security matters.