Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski has proposed creating a specialized standing military force called the European Legion, which would recruit battle-hardened Ukrainian veterans after the current war concludes.
Speaking in an interview with Greek newspaper Kathimerini, Sikorski stated that the European Union requires significantly deeper military integration as its defensive relationship with North American allies evolves.
Sikorski leads foreign policy for Poland, a NATO and European Union member state that shares borders with Ukraine. Warsaw has served as a pivotal transit hub for Western military equipment since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
A Standing Force for Europe
The proposal responds to calls from American leadership for European nations to assume greater responsibility for collective defense within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Asked whether European defense should be strengthened inside NATO or through a parallel European military framework, Sikorski advocated for establishing a dedicated European Legion of specialized permanent armed forces.
Sikorski said the force could draw experienced professionals from across Europe, specifically highlighting Ukrainian veterans. He noted that Ukraine's one-million-strong military has gained extensive combat experience over four and a half years of full-scale warfare, describing it as a key potential foundation for future European security.
Complementing NATO Capabilities
Sikorski emphasized that the proposed legion would not function as a parallel structure to NATO or duplicate its operational role.
Instead, he stated that the interests of the European Legion and the 32-member Atlantic alliance would complement each other rather than conflict.
While describing the United States as an indispensable anchor of collective defense, Sikorski noted that Washington's role is changing. He said America would continue supplying unmatched intelligence and technological capabilities, but added that Europe must handle the primary workload on the ground.
Alternative Security Alliances
Sikorski's proposal comes amid broader discussions in Kyiv regarding regional defense structures alongside traditional Western alliances.
Former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin told Ukrainian news site LIGA.net that a recent defense cooperation agreement between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and NATO member Turkey demonstrated how countries can form security blocs outside the alliance framework.
Similarly, on August 7, Ukrainian Ambassador to the United Kingdom Valerii Zaluzhnyi stated that Ukraine has developed rapidly in military technology during the war compared to NATO standards. Zaluzhnyi, a former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, argued that Kyiv should join a new subregional power bloc within Europe.
