Although France's Emmanuel Macron and Germany's Angela Merkel are calling on their EU allies to unite and create a joint European army, Austria, which isn't a member of NATO, has voiced that it would opt out.
Austrian Defence Minister Mario Kunasek's office has told the local outlet Kurier that they “have no grounds to evaluate this plan.”
According to the ministry's spokesperson, the idea of a European army conflicts with the country's constitution, as Austria is neutral. The press service called participation in a joint military “illusory,” the Kurier reports. The minister's office emphasized that the idea of the EU Commission President commanding its deployment is absolutely incompatible with neutrality.
Macron's EU Army Idea Indicates ‘Emerging Crack in NATO' – Turkish MP
In early November, French President Emmanuel Macron called for creating a European army that would be independent of the US. Macron, who had already voiced the idea in June, spoke of Europe facing threats allegedly coming from China, Russia, and the United States.
The German Chancellor has backed his proposal, stressing recently that “Europe must take its fate in its own hands.” She also proposed the establishment of a “European security council” in order to coordinate the process. According to her, it could be a “good supplement to NATO.”
While the European Commission expressed their delight that both Paris and Berlin publicly supported the idea, the perspective…