Europe’s Proposed Defense Union Would Put Ukraine at Its Core

A group of Members of the European Parliament (MEO) is pushing for the creation of a European Defense Union that would work closely with NATO while giving European countries greater capacity to defend themselves independently, with Ukraine envisioned as a key partner.MEP Reinier van Lanschot, one of the initiative’s proponents, outlined the proposal in a comment to Ukrinform news agency.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.The proposal comes as Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine and uncertainty over US security policy have fueled calls for greater European defense capabilities, van Lanschot said.“We have come to the conclusion that in the face of Russia’s fierce war of aggression and the unreliability of the United States, Europe must be able to defend itself independently,” he said.He added that they still believed NATO was of immense value and wanted to strengthen the Alliance, but that Europe must also be capable of autonomous defense.The proposed defense union would operate within NATO while retaining the ability to act independently if NATO’s collective-defense mechanism under Article 5 were not invoked, according to van Lanschot.He described the concept as “separable but not separate” from NATO, meaning the European structure would remain integrated with the alliance while maintaining its own capabilities.Ukraine envisioned as key defense partnerVan Lanschot said Ukraine should play a central role in the proposed European security architecture, alongside other non-EU partners such as Norway and the UK. Other Topics of Interest Guterres’s Successor Will Need Russia’s Blessing Guterres secured humanitarian agreements but leaves deep distrust in Ukraine. The candidates to replace him face scrutiny over their own approaches to Moscow. “A European Defense Union can function effectively only if our most important partners – such as Norway, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine – are involved. Ukraine currently has the strongest army in Europe and is the most technologically advanced,” he said.According to van Lanschot, European countries’ perception of Ukraine has changed significantly since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.He said the EU’s approach had shifted over the past five years, from initially focusing on helping Ukraine withstand the war to recognizing that “we now need Ukraine’s help” to become more technologically advanced and stronger itself.“Ukraine as a partner has a lot to offer,” the MEP added.The proposal would also allow Ukrainian military personnel to voluntarily participate in a future European Rapid Reaction Force, according to van Lanschot.Proposed European security structureThe proposed union would include six main components: a European Security Council, a European Military Staff, a European Military Intelligence Center, a European Strategic Support Unit, a European Rapid Reaction Force, and a European deterrence mechanism based on Article 42.7 of the Treaty on European Union, which provides for mutual assistance among EU member states.The European Security Council would serve as the union’s main political decision-making body. Its decisions would be made by qualified majority rather than unanimity, according to the proposal, in an effort to avoid the deadlocks that have repeatedly affected EU foreign and security policy.The proposed structure would also be designed to complement rather than replace NATO.The initiative comes as the EU debates how to strengthen its own defense capabilities and reduce its dependence on the US.European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said during her State of the Union address last month that Europe needs its own mechanism for urgent consultations when an EU member faces a security threat, modeled on Article 4 of the NATO treaty.She also proposed establishing a European Security Council that would include Ukraine. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.