Re: First Step to an EU Army.

Can anyone be friends with Russia, it didn't work very well under the auspices of the USSR

Re: First Step to an EU Army.

I'd like to think so.

The USSR was just another failed empire (like the EU will be) and hopefully they have learnt from that.

Re: First Step to an EU Army.

I think you will find that Comrade Putin wants it all back.

Re: First Step to an EU Army.

I'm no expert on all this so hope I don't sound dense ... but ..

What kind of operations do they envisage this new EU army will be involved in?
Sending off forces to augment any global alliances involved in other wars?
Or just confined to defending the EU?

I'm just wondering how it will work when Turkey eventually gain membership and think they have an army of allies with both economic and military muscle behind them.

Re: First Step to an EU Army.

I doubt that they'll be going off to the Middle East to fight IZAL and I'm sure that without help from NATO, especially the Americans, they'd be able to deter or prevent any possible Russian advances west, although I have already mentioned that I don't think that Putin is likely to do anything like that.

So what other reason could their be?

Well the obvious one, which I'm sure some will consider a joke, is to keep any unwilling 'partner' states within the fold.

No, I'm not being funny; it has happened before.

Re: First Step to an EU Army.

Re: First Step to an EU Army.

I wish some of our previous politicians thought as much about Britain as Putin thinks about Russia...

Putin would not have made the mistake of joining the exclusive European Traders Club...

Re: First Step to an EU Army.

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel on Thursday criticised Russia's military build-up on its borders with the Baltic states as irrational and said Germany would keep troops in the region for as long as needed.

Gabriel visited about 400 German soldiers stationed in Rukla, Lithuania, as part of a German-led battle group of 1,000 troops that will be joined this year by U.S.-led forces in Poland, British-led soldiers in Estonia and Canadian-led troops in Latvia.

NATO is expanding its presence in the region to levels unprecedented since the Cold War, prompted by Russia's annexation of Crimea and accusations - denied by Moscow - that it is supporting a separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine.
Link http://uk.mobile.reuters.com/article...KBN1691TM?il=0

Re: First Step to an EU Army.

They might have been better off


https://www.quora.com/What-is-life-l...nder-Putin-now

Re: First Step to an EU Army.

You and me both Julie - they've failed twice in their expansionism attempts after two world wars and are now doing it through economic means. Make no mistake, the Euro was created by the Germans (abetted by their French collaborators) for the benefit of Germany.