United army remains just a dream for the EU

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has supported French President Emmanuel Macron Merkel’s idea that a unified European military for the protection of Europeans without outside assistance is very important.

However, Federica Mogherini, high representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said the EU is not and will never be a military alliance.

The contrast in the statements of Merkel and Macron and that of Mogherini reflects the lack of coordination within the EU in security matters and casts a shadow on the future of the EU’s common security.

The EU for long has dreamed of building a united security force. But Brussels prefers to strike the right balance between external and internal disputes, instead of building a united military.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization backed by the United States and the United Kingdom represents the strong external pressure against a united European military force. Although many EU member countries believe NATO enhances US influence in Europe, the UK sees itself as an important mediator between Washington and Brussels. When the idea of a European military was first discussed in the 1990s, it was rejected due to the strong opposition from the US and the UK, which emphasized that “NATO is enough” to protect Europe. Only the European rapid reaction force was allowed to conduct small-scale missions.