9:05 18 May 2024
The Ukraine War Revives Talk of a Common European Army
A common European army does not yet exist, and in practice, defense is the sole responsibility of EU member states. However, the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, just beyond the eastern border, has rekindled the European debate about the need to have its military potential. As Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz recently pointed out, Europe should have its rapid reaction force and appoint a defense commissioner, as it is currently facing its greatest challenges since the end of World War II.
"We must gain our deterrence and increase defense spending," MEP Janusz Lewandowski said.
According to Eurobarometer research published in 2022, the vast majority of EU citizens (81 percent) support a common defense and security policy – in every EU country, this support is at least 2/3 of citizens. About 93 percent of EU residents agree that countries should work together to defend the territory of the Community, and 85 percent believe that defense cooperation should be strengthened at the EU level.
(Newseria)
