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'Very Dangerous': Ex-UKIP Leader Lambasts Macron's EU Army Proposal

© AFP 2023 / FREDERICK FLORINMembers of Eurocorps military contingent hold the Europeen flag during a ceremony for Croatia's accession to the European Union on July 1, 2013, in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France
Members of Eurocorps military contingent hold the Europeen flag during a ceremony for Croatia's accession to the European Union on July 1, 2013, in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France - Sputnik International
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The comments came a day after French President Emmanuel Macron called for creating a "real European army" in order to protect the residents of EU countries. He insisted that Europe should be defending itself in a "more sovereign way," without depending "only on the United States."

The creation of a European army would be a dangerous move and insult the United States, Nigel Farage, former leader of the right-wing populist UK Independence Party (UKIP), told the radio program LBC (Leading Britain's Conversation).

Addressing Emmanuel Macron's recent remarks about the necessity of a "real European army", Farage argued that all this echoes comments by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, "who said not too long ago deference to NATO can no longer be used as a convenient alibi to argue against greater European efforts."

READ MORE: UK Lawmaker Regards Possibility of EU Army Creation as 'Disaster'

"Do you know something, they've been lying to us for 50 years about the true intentions of the European Union. These people really worry me. I think a European army is very dangerous. What an insult, and what a worry this is for those that believe in cooperation with America and others in NATO," Farage pointed out.

His comments came after Macron told the French radio station Europe 1 that the EU should protect itself "with respect to China, Russia and even the United States of America."

"We need a Europe which defends itself better alone, without just depending on the United States. We will not protect the Europeans unless we decide to have a true European army," Macron pointed out.

READ MORE: Why NATO Chief Maintains 'There-Could-Be-Only-One' Stance on Calls for EU Army

In this vein, he called the EU and its security "the main victim" of Washington's recent decision to scrap the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty) with Russia.

A general view of the NATO official tribune ahead of the opening ceremony of the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) summit, at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, July 11, 2018 - Sputnik International
'NATO is Structured to Defend EU When There's no Need' - Researcher
In June 2017, the German Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces said that the creation of the EU army is inevitable. Speaking to the German Press Agency, Hans-Peter Bartels renewed calls on the EU's militaries to unite into a single armed force.

The idea of a single EU army has been in the air for several years. Since 2013, Berlin has been overseeing efforts towards closer EU defense integration through the Framework Nations Concept, which stipulates that Germany share its troops and capabilities with other European countries.

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