
The European Union is grappling with the coronavirus pandemic as the death toll across Europe rises – and unearthed reports reveal how a previous outbreak of disease provoked Ursula von der Leyen to call for an EU Army to deal with crises.
The European Commission President made the statement while serving as Germany’s Defence Minister under Chancellor Angela Merkel. Her predecessor as head of the EC, Jean Claude Juncker, was looking to improve Europe’s standing on the international stage through his advocacy of an EU Army. Ms von der Leyen backed the proposal claiming a bloc-wide fighting force was a “long term goal” for Germany.