EU military chief warns Europe 'can no longer sit back', calls Ukraine 'front line'

ISTANBUL

Europe must urgently reinforce its defense capabilities, as Russia’s war in Ukraine has pushed the continent into a “grey zone” between war and peace, the chair of the EU Military Committee, Gen. Sean Clancy, has warned.

Clancy, an Irish air corps general who took over the EU’s highest military post in June, said Europe no longer has “the luxury” of assuming stability on its eastern flank.

“The world is on fire in many places, and Ukraine represents the front line for Europe at this point in time,” he told The Irish Times in an interview published Friday.

Clancy emphasized that rising defense spending across Europe should not be viewed as militarizing society or creating a common EU army, but as an overdue recognition of the scale of current threats.

“No member state is immune to it. I’m talking about hybrid threats here. I’m talking about terrorism. I’m talking about many areas such as cyber, space,” he added.

He warned that geography was no longer a protective buffer against “borderless” hybrid warfare, noting the rise in drone incursions across European airports.

This required not only stronger armed forces, he said, but a broader societal effort to build resilience.

“Preparedness isn’t about preparing for war. It’s about readiness and resilience,” he said.

While rejecting the idea that Europe had previously been idle, he said: "I kind of reject that a little bit, if I can be straight up with you. You know, asking Europe to do more now ... this is not something new. We have to be careful with language."

He noted that US demands for Europe to spend more began under former president Barack Obama, but "Mr. Trump had really 'catalyzed' momentum" behind that push.

“That transatlantic relationship will remain important, but it’s evolving. The US has been very clear in asking us to do more,” he added.

Clancy also said the EU institutions had become increasingly central to coordinating Europe’s defense build-up, with security now “near the top of the political agenda” in Brussels.

“It is palpable, the sense of purpose, direction, and momentum. Everybody wants it to move faster,” he said.