EU country refuses Zelensky’s suggestion for bloc-wide military

(MENAFN) Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski has rejected Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s suggestion to establish a “unified army of Europe.” Poland has consistently opposed the creation of a collective EU military and has strongly supported the U.S.'s dominant role in European security. Sikorski stated that the idea of unifying national armies would not happen, emphasizing that any strengthening of the EU's defense should complement NATO, rather than replace it.

Zelensky made the call for a unified EU military at the Munich Security Conference, following criticism by U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance of European nations. Sikorski’s comments reflect Poland’s stance that NATO, led by the U.S., should remain the central framework for European defense. In recent years, Poland has deepened its military collaboration with Washington, purchasing advanced weapons systems and hosting a U.S. military base in Poznan.

While the idea of a European army has been discussed in the past, particularly by figures like French President Emmanuel Macron and former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine has reduced momentum for such discussions. Macron has shifted his views and now supports NATO expansion, and Merkel's successor, Olaf Scholz, has remained silent on the matter. The concept of a European army was previously criticized by U.S. officials, with former Defense Secretary William Cohen warning that it could threaten NATO’s existence.

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