Defence minister against idea of European Army – Portugal Resident

The Minister for National Defence, Nuno Melo, spoke out today against the creation of a European army, stressing that the priority is to strengthen the European defence pillar within NATO and to invest in national armed forces.

“I am generally opposed to the idea of a European army, though this does not mean that within the European Union (EU) and in the European context, we should not coordinate what are fundamental aspects of a common defence,” said Melo in comments to journalists on the sidelines of a meeting of European Union (EU) defence ministers in Brussels.

The defence minister noted that his opposition to a European army is a “long-standing position, held for many years in the European Parliament, and one that has not changed within the government”.

“I believe we must strengthen NATO’s European defence pillar, which involves providing better conditions for our military personnel, modernising and improving infrastructure and equipment, and ensuring we are up to the task of the missions we are asked to undertake both at home and abroad – which is a different matter from a European army,” he said.

Spain’s government has been advocating the creation of a European army – stating that this must be done immediately, “not in ten years’ time” – as a means of preserving its freedom in a context of growing tensions with the United States.

This idea has already been dismissed by the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, who described it as unrealistic, calling instead for the armed forces of European countries to be strengthened.

Also today, Portugal’s defence minister has “affirmed that Portugal is still pondering whether to reinforce military personnel on the EU mission in the Red Sea, and whether to contribute to the eventual Franco-British initiative in the Strait of Hormuz”.

Given that the geopolitical situation appears a long way from the moment when such an initiative could begin, Nuno Melo stressed that Portuguese armed forces are already participating in naval missions – Atalanta, in the Indian Ocean, and Aspides, in the Red Sea – and there is no active consideration, at this point, over whether or not to reinforce military personnel. “Portugal will have something to say at the point in which the government decides what it will do,” he told reporters.

Source material: LUSA