A Proposal Has Been Made In Poland To Create A "European Legion" To Complement NATO
- 16.08.2026, 9:59
The core of the team should consist of experienced Ukrainian veterans.
Europe needs much deeper military integration and the creation of a permanent “European Legion” that would complement NATO and be able to recruit Ukrainian veterans. This was stated by Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski in an interview with Kathimerini.
He emphasized that Washington has been signaling for years a shift in its strategic focus toward the Indo-Pacific region.
According to Sikorski, the U.S. remains an indispensable anchor of collective defense and will provide unique technological and intelligence capabilities, but Europe must do the heavy lifting on the ground.
The head of the Polish Foreign Ministry asserts that, to this end, the European Union needs a standing force that could be drawn from experienced professionals. Sikorski stated:
“I strongly advocate for the creation of a ‘European Legion’—a dedicated, standing force that could recruit experienced professionals from the broader European family, including battle-hardened veterans after the war.”
The minister emphasized that this is not about building a parallel alternative to NATO or duplicating structures, but about creating a stronger European pillar within the Alliance.
Hybrid Threats from Russia and Peace Talks
He noted that Russia is already waging an active hybrid war against European societies through sabotage, disinformation, cyberattacks, and provocations.
According to him, Moscow is applying the “Masking” doctrine, based on disinformation, camouflage, and false-flag operations. The worse Russia performs on the battlefield in Ukraine, the more aggressively the Kremlin tries to destabilize the West.
At the same time, Sikorski expressed reservations regarding diplomatic efforts to end Russian aggression.
“Any long-term peace in our region cannot be established without the support of the Ukrainians. It must be a peace that is, in fact, signed by Kyiv and Moscow,” Sikorski emphasized.
The minister added that Europe, particularly Poland, must take the lead at the negotiating table, as Europeans are targeted daily by Russia’s hybrid attacks.