Calls for a European army have grown louder, with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez advocating for its creation earlier this year. However, decades-old divisions, political hesitancy, and reliance on the United States continue to hinder progress. Despite rising defence budgets and mounting threats, Europe appears no closer to a unified military force than when the French rejected the European Defence Community in 1954.
The continent boasts around 1.5 million active military personnel and some of the world’s leading defence firms, but the core issue remains political: who leads? Germany has declared a Zeitenwende and seeks exemptions from EU budget rules for military investment. Poland is spending the highest share of GDP on defence, while France retains Gaullist, unilateral instincts. Post-Brexit Britain seeks ties with EU military powers but views itself as NATO’s keystone, and Baltic states fear any project that might deter US support.
Defining a European army itself proves contentious. Options range from a single force under the EU flag encompassing all 27 members to a looser arrangement respecting Irish and Austrian neutrality, or a smaller intervention force. Disagreement prevails, even as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine underscores the urgency of territorial defence.
Brussels has unveiled a five-year rearmament plan aimed at reducing reliance on US contractors and fostering an industrial renaissance, with firms like Rheinmetall and MBDA scaling up. Yet economies of scale remain elusive, as member states protect national champions. A newly appointed defence commissioner oversees industry rather than armed forces.
Public ambivalence further complicates efforts. A Gallup poll last year found deep reluctance to fight among Europeans: in Spain, Germany, and Italy, only 14% said they would take up arms. Even in frontline states like Poland and Lithuania, fewer than half were willing. This pacifist mood reflects an EU integration designed to prevent war among members, but it also underscores the challenge of building a credible military force.
The push for a European army symbolises independence from Washington, yet Europe quietly depends on US satellites, command structures, and munitions. While defence spending has risen, readiness to go it alone has not. Pooled sovereignty, unified command, and political consensus remain distant goals, leaving Europe reliant on US leadership even as it aspires to strategic autonomy.
