EU Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius has proposed creating a new defence alliance with a permanent army, as the United States plays a smaller role in Europe’s security.
According to Euractiv, on April 17 he suggested signing a new intergovernmental treaty to establish this defence union and help Europe become capable of defending itself, especially as the U.S. shifts its focus to the Indo-Pacific region.
Speaking at a conference of the EU Legal Service, he questioned whether the current EU treaties are sufficient to create a full-fledged ‘defence union.’
“I urge the creation of a new genuine European defence union, which would include the United Kingdom, Norway, and Ukraine. And to do that, let’s have an additional new intergovernmental treaty,” said Andrius Kubilius.
The idea of deeper defence integration was previously proposed by Ursula von der Leyen at the start of her second term as President of the European Commission.
It includes higher defence spending, expanded industrial capacity, and stronger coordination among EU member states. However, defence policy still remains the exclusive responsibility of national governments.
The debate gained further momentum following statements by U.S. President Donald Trump, which heightened concerns among European allies regarding the need to strengthen the “European pillar” within NATO and to explore new security frameworks.
Kubilius supported these discussions by proposing to expand the EU’s role in defense, specifically by establishing a Security Council with permanent members, forming an army of up to 100,000 personnel, and creating a separate military headquarters—initiatives that go beyond the current treaty framework.
He also raised the question of whether a new intergovernmental treaty could serve as the legal basis for such armed forces and allow for the formation of joint stockpiles at the EU level. At the same time, it remains unclear whether this initiative will go beyond political declarations. In parallel, the European Commission is preparing recommendations on the application of the mutual assistance clause (Article 42.7) following the recent attacks on Cyprus, which forced European countries to deploy their forces there.
