EUROPE - An EU army is a vital necessity for the European Union as an EU powerbroker called for a dramatic increase in integration to create a "United States of Europe". Guy Verhofstadt, the 63-year-old former Belgian Prime Minister, has said the growing threats from Donald Trump, Russia and Islamic extremism means the EU needs a greater level of defence and political unity.
The 63-year-old argued that over 60 per cent of Europeans would support an EU army. He was asked on LBC by presenter Matt Frei: "What you want is a proper United States of Europe. Fiscal union, monetary union, defence union and political union." In reply Mr Verhofstadt made no attempt to deny the accusations, but argued his plans would also lead to a shrinking of the European Commission, the executive arm of the EU.
He said: “I don’t want a commission with 28 commissioners as it is today. I want a smaller, real European government. With 12, with 15 members and not more than that." The Belgian was also critical of US President Donald Trump who he believed continued to undermine the European Union after he suggested it would collapse following Brexit.