EU’s Kallas skeptical of European army idea, confident NATO will endure Trump presidency

The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, has expressed scepticism over Spain’s proposal to establish a European army, arguing that better coordination between the bloc’s existing national forces is a more effective approach.

“I think what we need is for 27 armies to truly work together and be genuinely interoperable when it comes to, for example, capabilities or ammunition,” Kallas told Spanish newspaper in an interview, Caliber.Az reports.  

“Each country has its own military planning and defence budget, so you cannot have one army in NATO and another in Europe. That would be dangerous because, in a military crisis, the most important thing is who gives the orders.”

On the war in Ukraine, Kallas said any peace process would also have implications for European security. She did not rule out the possibility of further sanctions on Russia to increase pressure on Moscow.

Addressing concerns about the future of NATO under a second Donald Trump presidency, Kallas expressed confidence in the alliance’s stability.

“It is a strong alliance,” she said, when asked whether NATO would endure Trump’s term in office. “I am certain of it.”

On trade tensions following Washington’s announcement of new tariffs, Kallas stressed the need for balance in dealings with Trump.

“If the United States starts a trade war with its allies, the real winner will be China,” she said, adding that Brussels was in talks with Washington to find a resolution.

By Aghakazim Guliyev