The Spanish government believes that establishing a unified European army is necessary.
According to Politico, Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares stated, “We cannot wake up every morning wondering what the US will do next.”
The Minister called the Iranian crisis a defining moment for Europe’s strategic autonomy. According to him, the EU must be free from external coercion, whether in the form of trade tariffs or military threats, and should not be dependent on the consequences of other countries’ decisions.
“We need armed forces, a shared defense capability,” Albares said, adding that this should not be seen as an attempt to undermine NATO.
The statements by the Spanish minister reflect a wider shift in sentiment across the European Union. Even countries that have traditionally relied on close transatlantic ties increasingly recognize that the US can no longer be considered a fully predictable ally.
This awareness has been heightened, in particular, by the ongoing conflict with Iran.
On April 20, EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius proposed creating a new defense alliance with its own permanent army in response to the US’s weakening role in European security.
He suggested that such an alliance could be modeled on the Schengen Area and could include not only EU member states but also the United Kingdom, Norway, and Ukraine.
During a speech at the EU Legal Service conference, Kubilius also questioned whether current treaties provide a sufficient framework to establish a fully functional “defense union.”
The idea of deeper defense integration has previously been raised by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the start of her second term.
Her vision includes increased defense spending, expanded production capacities, and stronger coordination among EU member states. However, defense policy remains primarily under the control of national governments.
