Spain calls for “coalition of willing” to bolster European defence

Spain has proposed the creation of a “coalition of the willing” as a step toward a stronger, more autonomous European defence, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said in an interview with Der Spiegel.

Albares emphasized the need for a European army, noting that there are intermediate measures that could be implemented quickly.

“First, we need to integrate our defence industries. And second, we need to form a coalition of the willing. If we are ready to do this for Ukraine, we should be equally ready to defend the EU,” he stated.

The proposal comes amid growing calls for Europe to accelerate its pursuit of strategic autonomy. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has previously underscored the EU’s need to strengthen its ability to protect itself in a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape.

Albares also took aim at US policy, criticizing President Donald Trump’s decision to impose tariffs on certain EU countries over the Greenland dispute, highlighting tensions in transatlantic relations.

By Vafa Guliyeva