Why a European Union Army Faces Insurmountable Hurdles, According to a Former NATO General

Former NATO Commander Details Fundamental Obstacles to an EU Army

According to ХВИЛЯ: A proposal by European Commissioner Andrius Kubilius to establish a supranational European Union army is currently under debate. However, Sir Rupert Smith, former Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe for NATO, argues the project is fraught with profound legal, political, and resource-based challenges. This debate comes amid ongoing discussions about European strategic autonomy and defense integration.

Sir Rupert Smith emphasizes the complete lack of a legal framework for creating an 'EU soldier.' He points to the necessity for a clearly defined authority that would enable military personnel from different nations to operate in joint missions. A core issue, he notes, is that soldiers represent their home countries and have sworn oaths of allegiance to their respective states.

'I was a British soldier. I swore an oath to the then-Queen. A French soldier swears an oath to the Republic. We are bound by the laws of our state, and our state pays us. But would the EU pay them? Who would they swear allegiance to-Brussels or Strasbourg?' - Sir Rupert Smith

The former general also observes that the question of stationing soldiers from a 'stateless army' on the territory of individual European nations raises serious doubts. 'Would the citizens of individual European countries agree to the stationing of EU army soldiers on their soil? These are fundamental questions. I'm not saying they cannot be answered, but resolving them could take years,' he remarks.

Furthermore, Sir Rupert Smith stresses that no country can afford to maintain two separate sets of armed forces. 'There is only one set-the army, navy, and air force. No one can afford two sets. We can barely afford one set, given our way of life,' he adds.

Conclusions on a Supranational EU Army

Sir Rupert Smith's analysis therefore indicates that implementing the idea of a supranational EU army faces serious obstacles requiring detailed discussion and resolution.

The concept of an EU army continues to spark active debate among military experts and politicians. Despite the strategic ambitions such a project might hold, the complex legal and political realities present a significant barrier to its realization. In the context of current geopolitical challenges, questions of defense unity and coordination remain critically important for European stability.