There will be no joint European Union army to counter Russian aggression and compensate any withdrawal in U.S. support, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said to local television late on Feb. 15, Reuters reported.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Feb. 15 called on Europe to create a unified army at the Munich Security Conference to counter Russian aggression in Ukraine and Europe.
"Many leaders have talked about Europe needing its own army. An army of Europe. I really believe that the time has come. The armed forces of Europe must be created,"Zelensky said during his speech.
In response to a question about creating a unified European armed forces, Sikorski said that "we should be careful with this term because people understand different things," Reuters reported.
"If you understand by it the unification of national armies, it will not happen," Sikorski told TVP World. "But I have been an advocate for Europe, for the European Union, to develop its own defense capabilities."
Zelensky's proposal came in light of waning U.S. military support for Ukraine and Europe writ large. Ukraine hopes to see Europe fill the looming gap in its fight against Russia. Sikorski acknowledged a need to expand European militaries.
"If the U.S. wants us to step up in defense, it should have a national component, a NATO component, but I also believe a European EU component, EU subsidies for the defense industry to build up our capacity to produce, but also an EU force worthy of its name," Sikorski said.
Sikorski also said Poland would not put troops on the ground in Ukraine. "Poland's duty to NATO is to protect the eastern flank, i.e. its own territory."
Kateryna Hodunova
(Updated: )
