"The European army, which protects the population of the European community, needs not only well-equipped military personnel, who conduct joint exercises but also the political will to resolutely defend European interests if a crisis arises," the German defence minister said.
Von der Leyen told the Hamburger Abendblatt newspaper that the decision-making system in the possible future EU army must ensure the bloc’s ability to "quickly act in case of possible anti-crisis military operations."
READ MORE: German Politician: We Don't Need EU Army, We Need a 'European Home' With Russia
On November 6, French President Emmanuel Macron said that the European Union should have a "real European army" independent of the United States to be able to defend itself. In addition, he noted that the bloc must defend itself against China, Russia and even the United States. German Chancellor Angela Merkel also supported the idea of creating a European army while US President Donald Trump criticized the concept.