Sikorski proposes permanent European Legion with Ukrainian veterans, Błaszczak warns of NATO rivalry
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski proposed a permanent 'European Legion' including Ukrainian veterans in an interview with Kathimerini, drawing immediate criticism from PiS's Mariusz Błaszczak who called it a threat to NATO.
Sikorski's proposal
In an interview with the Greek daily Kathimerini published on 15 August, Polish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Radosław Sikorski called for "much deeper military integration" within the European Union and proposed the creation of a permanent "European Legion." The force would recruit experienced professionals from across the broader European family, including battle-hardened Ukrainian veterans after the war with Russia. Sikorski stressed that the legion would complement NATO rather than compete with it, arguing that a stronger European pillar within a stronger NATO serves both sets of allies.
We cannot call Washington every time a fire breaks out in our backyard.
He said the United States remains an irreplaceable pillar of common defense, providing unmatched technological and intelligence capabilities, but that Europe must take on the burden of operations on the ground. Sikorski noted that Washington has signaled for years that its strategic focus is shifting toward the Indo-Pacific.
Earlier concept and scope
This is not the first time Sikorski has floated the idea. In January, ahead of an EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels, he described a similar concept: a brigade-strength unit to which citizens of member and candidate states could enlist. Rules for the use of weapons would be agreed, the legion would report to the Foreign Affairs Council, and it would be financed from the EU budget. At that time, Sikorski acknowledged such a force would not be capable of deterring Russia and Vladimir Putin, but said it could address lower-level threats in North Africa or the Balkans. He called the deteriorating security environment around Europe more urgent than ever.
ReArm Europe and hybrid threats
Sikorski also referenced the "ReArm Europe/Readiness 2030" plan, backed by EUR 800 billion and including the SAFE mechanism, which he said changes the rules of the game by converting financial strength into military strength. On hybrid warfare, he said Russia's campaign against NATO frontline states is a daily assault on citizens and critical infrastructure. He cited disinformation aimed at turning Poles against Ukrainians, as well as kinetic actions including plots, train derailment attempts, arson, and drone attacks.
- Sikorski first presents 'European Legion' concept ahead of EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, proposing a brigade-strength unit financed from the EU budget
- Greek daily Kathimerini publishes interview in which Sikorski proposes a permanent European Legion recruiting specialists including Ukrainian veterans
- PiS parliamentary club chairman Mariusz Błaszczak criticizes the proposal on X, accusing the Tusk government of building structures competing with NATO
Sikorski said Poland remains the most frequently attacked EU country, with nearly 700,000 cyberattacks reported in 2025, a 140% increase over the previous year. He added that this wave has produced the most robust cyber defense systems and operational structures in Europe. He also noted that the Middle East war partially diverts Western attention from Ukraine, and that the rapid depletion of US arsenals has underscored the need to rebuild military production.
Opposition reaction
Mariusz Błaszczak, former defense minister and chairman of the PiS parliamentary club, responded on X on 16 August.
We warned. Today Sikorski says it openly: 'European Legion'.
Błaszczak accused the Tusk government of moving toward parallel European military structures that would compete with NATO. He said Poland does not need experiments with a EU army and needs a strong Polish military, a strong NATO, and a strategic alliance with the United States.
