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EU Defence Chief Proposes New Treaty for European Defence Union Including Ukraine
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In a bid to strengthen Europe’s military independence as the United States shifts its strategic focus toward the Indo-Pacific, EU Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius has proposed a new intergovernmental treaty to establish a "defence union,” Euractiv reported on April 17.
Speaking at the fourth EU Legal Service conference, Kubilius questioned whether existing EU treaties are sufficient to support a unified military stance. Under current agreements, the European Commission’s role is limited strictly to industrial and single-market policies, territorial defense remains the exclusive responsibility of individual member states and NATO.
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“Are the existing treaties and institutions, built on the basis of those treaties, more a help or a hindrance for European defence to fight as Europe, not just as a combination of the 27?” Kubilius asked.
To bypass these limitations, he urged the creation of a genuine European defence union through an additional intergovernmental pact modeled on the Schengen agreement. Crucially, Kubilius emphasized that this new treaty should include key non-EU allies such as the United Kingdom, Norway, and Ukraine, Euractiv wrote.
The call for a centralized defense strategy, initially championed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, has gained urgency following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and repeated threats from US President Donald Trump regarding NATO commitments.
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Recent geopolitical tensions, including Iranian strikes on Cyprus that prompted European nations to deploy military assets under the EU’s mutual assistance clause (Article 42.7), have further highlighted the need for a cohesive military apparatus, according to Euractiv.
While the bloc has introduced financial tools to boost joint procurement and production—such as the €500 million ($588 million) ASAP program for ammunition and the €150 billion ($176.4 billion) Security Action for Europe (SAFE)—Kubilius is pushing for deeper structural changes.
The proposal for a new defense treaty addresses the structural limitations of the European Union’s current military framework. While the EU has recently launched financial programs to boost collective arms production, territorial defense remains entirely dependent on individual member states and NATO. With Russia’s war against Ukraine and growing uncertainty surrounding the United States' long-term security commitments, European leaders are pushing to centralize the continent’s military capabilities.
Proposals advanced by Kubilius and Ursula von der Leyen have previously included establishing a permanent 100,000-strong European military force, creating a dedicated EU Security Council, and integrating Ukraine’s combat-tested defense industry directly into the bloc’s security architecture.
