BRUSSELS (AP) 鈥� European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Monday rejected calls for a Europe-wide army, warning that it could be 鈥渆xtremely dangerous鈥� as the bloc considers ways to provide its own security after the United States warned that its .
Talk of a European army has resurfaced amid tensions within NATO over President Donald Trump鈥檚 to annex Greenland, the semiautonomous territory of NATO-ally Denmark.
鈥淭hose who say that we need a European army, maybe those people haven鈥檛 really thought this through practically,鈥� Kallas said. 鈥淚f you are already part of NATO then you can鈥檛 create a separate army.鈥�
Kallas told a security conference in Norway that the most important military asset during a crisis 鈥渋s the chain of command 鈥� who gives orders to whom.鈥�
She added: 鈥淎nd if you have, like the European army and then you have the NATO (one), then, you know, the ball just falls between the chairs. And this is extremely, extremely dangerous.鈥�
NATO鈥檚 military operations are overseen by a Supreme Allied Commander, who is always a top U.S. officer. The role is currently held by Airforce Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich.
Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr St酶re said: 鈥淣ATO is there with the decision-making process among allies, which is in itself complex, but it is trained to work.鈥� He rejected calls for a European army, saying that 鈥渋t is not a road we should travel.鈥� Norway is not a member of the EU.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said last week that Europe is without U.S. military support and would have to more than double current military to be able to do so.
鈥淚f anyone thinks here 鈥� that the European Union or Europe as a whole can defend itself without the U.S., keep on dreaming. You can鈥檛,鈥� Rutte told EU lawmakers in Brussels.
Europe and the United States 鈥渘eed each other,鈥� he said.
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