Poland FM rejects Zelensky's proposal for unified European army
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Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski affirms the creation or unification of European armies, as per Zelensky's suggestion, "will not happen."
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Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski delivers a speech during the annual conference of French ambassadors at the International Conference Centre of the French Foreign Affairs ministry in Paris on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025 (AP)
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski has opposed the proposal made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for the establishment of a unified European army.
During his address at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, Zelensky suggested the creation of "another NATO" in Europe, with a collective military force whose borders would extend along eastern Ukraine, Belarus, the Baltic states, and Finland.
The Ukrainian leader also urged the European Union to strengthen its own security mechanisms instead of relying on US protection, warning that Europe's future is in its own hands. His remarks reflect growing concerns across the continent about Washington's commitment to NATO, particularly under the leadership of President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, both of whom have questioned the alliance's importance.
"I think we should be careful with this term because different people understand different things. If you understand by it the unification of national armies, it will not happen," Sikorski stated, during an interview with the TVP World broadcaster.
However, the top diplomat backed the enhancement and development of the European Union's defense capabilities.
Similarly in January, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk urged the European Union to strengthen its military capabilities to "ensure survival" in an increasingly unstable global order, calling on member states to boost defense spending.
In a session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, Tusk said that "if Europe wants to survive, it must arm itself," adding that Poland holds the rotating presidency of the European Union for six months until June. According to him, during this period, its top priority is to strengthen the security of the 27-nation bloc.
Read more: Europe must boost defenses amid US foreign policy shift: Le Monde
