In an interview with the Italian newspaper La Stampa, Mr Tajani said closer defence cooperation with Europe was a top priority for the Forza Italia party he leads.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani. Photo: Reuters
“If we want to be peacekeepers in the world, we need a European army. And this is a fundamental prerequisite for an effective European foreign policy,” he said in an interview published on Sunday.
“In a world with powerful players like the US, China, India, Russia – with crises ranging from the Middle East to the Indo- Pacific – citizens of Italy, Germany, France or Slovenia can only be protected by… the European Union,” he added.
European defense cooperation has been high on the political agenda since the Russia-Ukraine conflict erupted nearly two years ago. However, efforts have focused largely on NATO expansion, with Finland and Sweden also on track to become members of the US-led military alliance.
Mr Tajani also said the 27-nation EU should simplify its leadership and have a single president, instead of the current structure of a European Council president and a European Commission president.
Hoang Anh (according to Reuters)
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