European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker calls for EU army

ONE of the world’s most powerful people has called for the creation of a huge new army to front up to Russia. Good idea, or absolutely insane?

Call to create new mega army

EUROPEAN Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker has called for the creation of an EU army in the wake of rising tensions with Russia.

Juncker said the force could help counter new threats beyond the bloc’s borders and defend European “values”, in an interview with Germany’s Welt am Sonntag newspaper.

“You would not create a European army to use it immediately,” he was quoted as saying.

“But a common army among the Europeans would convey to Russia that we are serious about defending the values of the European Union.”

He said a joint EU force would also lead to more efficient spending on military equipment and drive further integration of the bloc’s 28 member states.

FILES - Picture taken on March 4, 2015, shows European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker during a press conference at the end of German chancellor's visit to the European Commission at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels. Juncker on March 8, 2015, called for the creation of an EU army in the wake of rising tensions with Russia in an interview with Germany's Welt am Sonntag newspaper. AFP PHOTO / EMMANUEL DUNAND

“Such an army would help us design a common foreign and security policy,” the former Luxembourg prime minister said, but added that the force should not challenge NATO’s defence role.

“Europe’s image has suffered dramatically and also in terms of foreign policy, we don’t seem to be taken entirely seriously.”

The proposal was likely to rile opponents of deeper EU integration, such as Britain, but has won some support from Germany.

The newspaper said that former NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana would present a report on Monday in Brussels calling for a new European security strategy, including military capability to intervene beyond EU borders.