The EU’s defence chief has issued a dire warning over Europe’s vulnerability, as he urged the bloc ought to think about making a 100,000-strong army power amid the menace posed by Russia. Andrius Kubilius even urged that the UK could possibly be pulled in from the chilly to work with Brussels, as he warned that Europe is “under pressure”.
The EU defence commissioner stated nations should go for a “big bang” in defence as he additionally expressed worries over US dedication to the area. Mr Kubilius known as for higher “unity” on the continent and “new ideas and bold decisions” should be dropped at the desk. His feedback got here as issues proceed to develop over Donald Trump’s repeated threats to annexe Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, and what this might imply for NATO.
Mr Kubilius advised a Swedish safety convention: “Would the United States be militarily stronger if they would have 50 armies on the States level instead of a single federal army, 50 state defence policies and defence budgets on the states level, instead of a single federal defence policy and budget?
“If our answer is ‘no’ USA would not be stronger, then – what are we waiting for?”
He went on to voice his issues over what might occur if the US “shifts” from Europe, and urged making a European Army could possibly be an possibility.
He stated: “Most importantly — how will we replace the 100,000 strong American standing military force, which is the backbone military force in Europe?
“Who will form our European standing back-bone military force: Germans? A collection of 27 “bonsai armies”: armies that look nice but are clipped, cut down, shrunk?
“Or as Jean Claude Juncker, Emmanuel Macron, Angela Merkel already proposed ten years ago and supported today by experts and Europeans: the creation of a powerful, standing “European military force” of 100,000 troops.”
The EU’s Defence Commissioner additionally known as for the creation of a European Security Council and stated the UK ought to play its half when “discussing broader European security”.
“I believe it’s now an urgent task to turn this idea into reality,” he added.
Painting a worrying image of European safety, the previous Lithuanian PM stated: “Today Russia’s military budget in PPP terms is 85% of defence spending of all the EU Member States.
“There are no signs that Putin will go for peace. Even if peace will be established, he will continue with a war economy.
“The USA officially is asking us to be ready to take all the responsibility for the conventional defence of Europe. And we cannot disagree with such a request.”
https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/2156727/eu-defence-chief-ww3-threat