Spain Urges EU to Build Unified Army to Strengthen Europe’s Defence

Spain has called on the European Union to begin moving towards the creation of a joint European army, saying a unified force would be a stronger and more efficient deterrent than the bloc’s 27 separate national militaries.

Speaking to Reuters on Wednesday ahead of meetings at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Spain’s Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, said Europe must demonstrate its ability to protect itself against both military and economic coercion.

He argued that the EU should start by integrating its defence industry and pooling military assets, before progressing towards what he described as a “coalition of the willing” among member states.

Albares acknowledged public sensitivity around military mobilisation but said collective action at EU level offered a better chance of building a credible defence force. “A joint effort would be more efficient than 27 national armies,” he said.

His comments came ahead of an emergency EU leaders’ meeting in Brussels to coordinate a response to recent remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump on Greenland.

Albares stressed that a European army would not replace NATO, reaffirming Spain’s commitment to the alliance, but insisted Europe must show it cannot be intimidated.

The idea of a joint European army dates back to the early 1950s but was abandoned after France rejected it in 1954. Albares said today’s leaders had a responsibility to revive and complete the project.

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