Sikorski called for the creation of a "European Legion" to strengthen NATO
Kyiv • UNN
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski supports creating a permanent "European Legion" to deepen military integration in the EU, which would complement NATO.
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, in an interview with the Greek newspaper "Kathimerini," stressed the need for significantly deeper military integration in Europe, including the creation of a permanent "European Legion" that would complement NATO rather than compete with it, reports UNN citing "Polskie Radio."
Details
In response to a question about how Europe should take on greater responsibility within NATO, as Washington is calling for, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said in an interview with the Greek newspaper "Kathimerini" that the European Union needs significantly deeper military integration. That is why, he said, he supports the creation of a "European Legion." These would be specialized permanent forces that could recruit experienced professionals, including battle-hardened Ukrainian veterans after the end of the war with russia.
Radosław Sikorski stressed that this is not about creating an alternative to NATO or duplicating the Alliance's structures. In his view, what is needed is a stronger European component within a stronger NATO, while the interests of European allies complement one another.
In addition, he recalled that the "ReArm Europe/Readiness 2030" plan, which provides for 800 billion euros and includes the SAFE mechanism, changes the rules of the game by converting financial strength into military strength.
The Deputy Prime Minister was also asked whether there were indications that Russia might seek to expand the conflict beyond Ukraine through conventional or hybrid actions. He replied that russia's hybrid war against states on NATO's frontline is a daily attack on the citizens and critical infrastructure of those countries. He added that Moscow is actively planning its next steps, while deception remains deeply rooted in Russia's strategic culture and the doctrine of "maskirovka."
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The minister recalled that the kremlin not only uses disinformation to create divisions in societies, including to turn Poles against Ukrainians, but also resorts to kinetic actions such as plots, attempts to derail trains, arson, and drone attacks.
The head of the Foreign Ministry stressed that Poland remains the European Union country most frequently targeted by attacks. As he recalled, nearly 700,000 cyberattacks were recorded in the country in 2025, 140 percent more than the previous year. He added that this unrelenting wave of attacks had led to the creation of Europe's most reliable cyber-defense systems and most resilient operational structures.
The politician noted that the war in the Middle East is partly diverting the West's attention from Ukraine. In addition, in his view, the rapid depletion of American arsenals has forced everyone to realize how important it is to reconsider the need to expand military production and restore it quickly.
The Deputy Prime Minister was also asked whether Ukrainian strikes on targets deep inside russia could change the dynamics of the war or tip the scales in Kyiv's favor. Sikorski expressed the conviction that to some extent this was possible, since it should be remembered that the Middle East is constantly competing for the attention of Western states. At the same time, he stressed that the main cause of the current global instability is russia's unlawful aggression against Ukraine.
The minister warned that lasting peace in the region cannot be built behind Ukraine's back.
"It must be a peace that Kyiv and Moscow genuinely sign. Moreover, Europe — which unequivocally also means Poland — must have an important place at the negotiating table. We cannot afford to pretend that we are neutral arbiters. We are not. Europeans are attacked, subjected to acts of sabotage, and intimidated by the russian federation every day. In this game, we take responsibility for our interests," the head of Polish diplomacy concluded.