2026-01-29 08:41
publication
2026-01-29 08:41
EU Commissioner for Defense Andrius Kubilius said in Brussels that defense remains a national domain and the European Commission can only help member states in this sphere. He added, however, that some gaps, such as anti-missile defense, would only be filled by EU countries together.
In his speech at the annual conference of the European Defense Agency (EDA), Kubilius said that three decades ago, Europe was called an economic giant, and the financial crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic turned the EU into a political giant.
– Europe is also a giant when it comes to defense, but a sleeping giant – he emphasized.
He stressed that EU bodies are not responsible for EU defense, because it is the domain of member states, and the European Commission can only help countries “in this task.” The EC provides such support, e.g. by coordinating joint arms purchases between countries, for which it is used, among others. EU budget.
As Kubilius said, the current priority is the production of missiles. – This is an urgent priority. I will soon launch the Missile Builder, as I call it. I will ask the industry how many missiles it can produce and what problems it has in its supply chains, he said.
The Lithuanian commissioner called on EU countries to show leadership in the development of European defense. – Member states set their defense priorities, but we need them to define not only national but also European priorities, he stressed.
He also emphasized that some gaps in European defense are so large that they can only be filled jointly – by developing pan-European capabilities, not just national ones. One such gap is missile defense, which largely depends on the US.
Kubilius called on member states to take the initiative in this and other flagship defense projects proposed by the EC at the end of 2025, including drones and space defense.
He warned that the EU's greatest weakness should not be fragmentation and lack of unity between capitals.
– In a world of giants, we must be one of them – a gentle giant, promoting international law and cooperation, but strong and ready to fight when the need arises – added the Defense Commissioner.
Kallas: I cannot imagine creating a separate European army
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Thursday in Brussels that she could not imagine EU countries creating a separate European army. In January, EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius called for the creation of such an army.
– Every European country has its own army, and the armies of 23 countries are also part of NATO structures, so I cannot imagine countries creating a separate European army – Kallas said before the meeting of EU foreign ministers.
She added that in military matters, a clear command structure is necessary so that in a crisis it is clear who gives the orders. – If we create parallel structures, the picture will become unclear – she noted.
Kubilius said the European Union should consider creating a permanent armed force of 100,000. soldiers and a thorough reconstruction of political processes regulating defense issues.
– Would the United States be militarily stronger if it had 50 state-level armies instead of one federal army? – he said at a security conference held in Sweden in January. -Fifty state defense policies and state-level defense budgets instead of one federal defense policy and defense budget? – he added.
– We need to start investing our money in such a way that we can fight as Europe, and not just as a collection of 27 national bonsai armies, added Kubilius, borrowing a phrase from former EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.
The phrase “bonsai army” is a metaphorical term used in English to refer to an underpowered military force that resembles an “ornament” rather than an effective army. The term compares such an army to miniature bonsai trees, which are small and decorative but have no real strength.
Kubilius stressed that Europe could instead create – “as Jean-Claude Juncker, Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel proposed 10 years ago” – a “European military force” of 100,000. soldiers.
European Commission spokesman Thomas Regnier, in response to this statement, said that Kubilius' words that the EU should consider creating a permanent armed force of 100,000 soldiers, is an invitation to discussion, not an announcement of a proposal.
The European Union does not have its own army, but there has been a discussion about the potential creation of one for years, which is a politically sensitive topic. Some political forces in the EU believe that such a move would deepen the federalization of the Community, which would limit the sovereignty of states. For many EU countries, their own army is a symbol of independence. For some countries, especially the eastern part of the EU, relations with the US and the importance of NATO as a defense alliance are also important.
From Brussels Łukasz Osiński (PAP)
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From Brussels Magdalena Cedro (PAP)
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