The European Commissioner for Defence, Andrius Kubilius, stated that the European Union should consider creating a permanent military force of 100,000 troops and reform the political processes that govern defense.
Facing Russian aggression and a U.S. shifting focus away from Europe while threatening Greenland, Kubilius supported a “bold approach” to reimagine Europe’s collective defense, reported Politico.
“Would the United States be militarily stronger if it had 50 state-level armies instead of a federal army?” he asked at a security conference in Sweden on Sunday.
“If the answer is no, that the U.S. would not be stronger, then what are we waiting for?” he added.
Kubilius said Europe’s defensive readiness relies on three pillars:
- Greater investment in production capacity
- Prepared and organized institutions
- Political will to deter and, if necessary, fight
He stressed that simply increasing funds for the existing European defense system will not meet these requirements, partly due to a lack of unity.
“We must start investing in a way that allows us to fight as Europe, not just as a collection of 27 national ‘bonsai armies,’” he said, quoting former EU High Representative Josep Borrell.
Instead, Europe could establish a strong and sustainable European military force of 100,000 troops, as proposed 10 years ago by Jean-Claude Juncker, Emmanuel Macron, and Angela Merkel, Kubilius noted.
To address political will, Kubilius proposed the creation of a European Security Council, an idea previously suggested by President Macron and former Chancellor Merkel.
The council would consist of key permanent members, several rotating members (including the state holding the EU Council presidency), plus the EU leadership—the Presidents of the Commission and the Council. Kubilius added that the United Kingdom should also be included.
“The council, around 10–12 members in total, would discuss the most important defense issues and, importantly, prepare rapid decisions on critical matters,” Kubilius explained.
