ATHENS

Poland underscored that NATO is essential to European security, according to Polish media.

Stressing the alliance is pivotal for the defense of Europe, Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak called a potential European army an "imaginary,” state-run PAP news agency reported Tuesday.

“It is important for nation states to be responsible for defense, and not some imaginary European army or the transfer of competences to the European level,” he said.

“I have found that any competition between the alliance and the EU when it comes to security is a very bad thing," he said.

Polish-American relations are crucial for the security of Poland and for the security of the entire eastern flank of the alliance, he argued.