Where did efforts to build an EU army evolve, and where can they evolve with NATO?

Abstract

Russia attacked Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The war was repeatedly denied by Russia until a few days before it started. Russia followed the same policy when it attacked Georgia in 2008 and annexed Crimea in 2014. However, the battles showed that Ukraine was in serious preparation, although Europe was not ready, for the war. Unlike the USA, Europe established very strong economic relations with Russia after the Cold War, and became dependent on Russia especially for natural gas. In the meantime, while the EU was a dominant power in the world economically and politically under the umbrella of NATO and the US security, the EU failed to establish a European army, even though it was on the agenda from time to time. With this war, the European Union reconsidered the idea of ​​the dwindling European army and approved its establishment. This article examines whether the European Union needs an Armed Forces and can carry out strong and independent operations, or whether NATO should continue this task.