Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez are among the latest voices to support the idea of a European army to ensure a credible and lasting peace in the continent.
“It is time to create a European army, EU armed forces with troops from all 27 member countries, working under a single flag with the same objectives,” Sánchez said. “This is the only way that we become a true union.”
On paper, the concept is attractive. It could boost the interoperability of military systems, weapons, and forces, and would also involve a joint command structure to improve coordination among all participating troops.
Europe—including the UK—currently has 1.47 million active-duty military personnel. By the end of 2024, the Russian presence in Ukraine had reached 700,000 troops.
The largest armed forces are in France, with 202,200 troops, followed by Germany (179,850), Poland (164,100), Italy (161,850), the United Kingdom (141,100), Greece (132,000), and Spain (122,200), according to the Military Balance 2025, compiled by the IISS.
In the short term, Europe’s challenge is not to replace the US military one-for-one, Max Bergmann, director at the US Center for Strategic and International Studies, said in a recent analysis. “But for the long term, Europe should get serious about building a common European force that can fight and act as one to defend Europe—that can replace the United States,” he wrote.
However, despite calls from various capitals in recent years, EU officials in Brussels remain reluctant to reignite the conversation.
Having a renewed debate on creating a European army would only create confusion, one official told Euronews.
“Defence is and will remain a national prerogative,” an EU spokesperson added, clarifying that “the point is not about having an ‘EU army’ but rather about having 27 capable and interoperable armies that can work better and together.”
Current discussions and plans are focusing on integrating Ukraine into the EU’s defence market and boosting military capabilities and readiness in the event of a potential Russian aggression—which, according to several European intelligence agencies, could happen within five years.
Earlier this year, the EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, noted that fragmentation in Europe is inflating costs, hindering interoperability, and causing logistical issues. The continent currently has 172 different types of major weapons systems, aircraft, vehicles, and combat vessels, compared to just 32 in the US.
“We need integration in defence and interoperability on the ground. We do not need a European army,” the former Estonian prime minister said.
Currently, 23 out of 27 EU countries fall under the security umbrella of the transatlantic military alliance. However, as the US shifts its strategic focus to the Indo-Pacific, it is urging its allies to shoulder a greater share of the burden in defending the European continent.
NATO is expected to call on its 32 allies to increase their military capability targets by 30% during its annual summit in The Hague, Netherlands, in June.
The alliance is also likely to ask members to raise defence spending to at least 3% of GDP—up from the current 2%, which some European countries, including Belgium, Italy, and Spain, still fail to meet.
EU heavyweights such as Kallas and Andrius Kubilius, the bloc’s defence commissioner, have repeatedly emphasised that the EU is not seeking to compete with NATO but rather to support its European members in meeting shared objectives.
“We need 27 European armies that are capable and can effectively work together to deter our rivals and defend Europe—preferably with our allies and partners, but alone if needed,” Kallas said in late January.
According to preliminary estimates from the Brussels-based economic think tank Bruegel, for Europe to serve as a credible deterrent without US support, a European army would require at least 1,400 tanks, 2,000 infantry fighting vehicles, and 700 artillery pieces. It would also need a million 155mm shells for the first three months of high-intensity combat.
In terms of personnel, Europe would need an additional 300,000 troops. Drone production would need to scale up to 2,000 long-range loitering munitions annually to match Russian levels. And defence spending would also have to increase by approximately €250 billion per year—roughly 3.5% of GDP—in the short term.
“We should try to create a military parity between Europe and Russia, which would maintain this deterrence without even having to necessarily resort to nuclear deterrence,” Dr. Alexandr Burilkov, co-author of the Bruegel analysis, told Euronews.
