Brussels / Davos – Spain has urged the European Union to establish a joint army, integrate the defence industry, and form a coalition of willing nations, stressing the need for stronger European military autonomy.
In an interview with Reuters on Wednesday, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares clarified that the initiative is not intended to replace NATO, highlighting the continued importance of the transatlantic alliance.
Albares said, “A joint effort would be more efficient than 27 separate national armies,” adding that the goal is to send a clear message that Europe will not be coerced militarily or economically.
The remarks follow U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent backtracking on tariffs against 10 European nations, after a meeting with NATO chief Mark Rutte to outline a framework for a Greenland deal. Trump, who has repeatedly expressed interest in acquiring Greenland, said at the World Economic Forum in Davos that he won’t use force to bring the Arctic island under U.S. control.
Despite progress in U.S.-NATO talks, European leaders are proceeding with an emergency meeting on Thursday to coordinate a joint response on Greenland.
The idea of a European joint army is not new. It was first proposed in 1951 to counter the Soviet Union but was rejected by the French Parliament in 1954.