Spain pushes for European army, EU-level defence financing amid growing security concerns

Spain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, has proposed the creation of a rapid deployment force, which he suggests could serve as "the embryo of a European army," a major step in the push for enhanced European defence capabilities.

This proposal, presented ahead of his participation in the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, aims to address Europe’s growing security challenges and ensure a collective response to external threats, Caliber.Az reports citing foreign media.

“We have to mobilize sufficient financial resources that are European and that do not solely rely on national budgets because the threat is European and therefore the response must be European,” Albares stated, underlining the importance of a collective European approach to defence.

He called for the necessary financial resources to be mobilized at the European level, advocating for joint funding mechanisms rather than placing the burden solely on national budgets, which is a particularly sensitive issue given internal opposition to defense spending increases in Spain.

This stance is in line with statements made by Spanish President Pedro Sánchez, who has previously called for the development of "joint tools" to address security needs. Additionally, Minister of Economy Carlos Cuerpo has hinted at the potential of issuing European debt to finance such efforts. However, the push for European defence funding also requires individual countries to contribute, with Spain acknowledged as needing to "do more."

During his remarks, Albares called on EU member states to reflect on how Europe can build up its security capabilities. “Capabilities that must include the ability to have rapid deployment forces that could be the embryo, even, of a European army that we have often talked about,” he emphasized.

By Vafa Guliyeva