BRUSSELS – The U.K.’s defence minister says Britain would oppose any European Union plan to create an EU army or set up a military headquarters but he stopped short of saying London would veto such moves.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said at EU defence talks in Slovakia Tuesday that “we’re going to oppose any idea of an EU army or an EU army headquarters.”
He said “NATO must remain the cornerstone of our defence.”
Asked if Britain would veto the move, he said only that “there is no majority here for an EU army.”
READ MORE: Britain blocks permanent EU military HQ, worried about weakening NATO
With Britain leaving the EU, France and Germany want to boost European defence co-operation.
The two are not calling for an EU army but they do want to improve Europe’s capacity to run its own security operations.