Poland Skeptical Of Proposals To Create Pan-EU Armed Forces - Official

WARSAW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th May, 2021) Poland is skeptical of the idea of creating pan-European armed forces, Undersecretary of State Pawel Jablonski said on Thursday.

There is an ongoing discussion in the European Union about creating a joint military for the bloc that could be used to boost its defense capabilities and be deployed in international crises.

"Europe's strong defense capability resides primarily in strong national armed forces that form an alliance within NATO's framework. If we are dealing with the inability [of some countries] to spend 2% of GDP on defense, then creation of another European armed force alongside NATO means weakening the member countries' armed forces," Jablonski told the state-owned broadcaster Radio Poland.

When asked if this EU army could serve as a bukwark against Russia's allegedly aggressive foreign policy, the official described that notion as "wishful thinking."

In 2018, French President Emmanuel Macron urged creation of a joint European military in order to better counter global challenges and end the bloc's dependency on the United States for defense.

The proposal was put on the table at a low ebb in EU-US relations during the Donald Trump presidency. One of the former US president's complaints was that NATO's European members were not paying the necessary 2% of their GDP on defense.