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Creating European army long-term goal - German defense minister

The US wants Europeans to be a strong link in the framework of NATO

BERLIN, May 3. /TASS/. Creating a European army remains one of the main goals for EU, but it is important to start strengthening the union’s security system now, Germany’s Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen told Bild am Sonntag newspaper on Sunday.

A European army is a long-term goal, while for now the most important thing is to gradually strengthen the European Defense Community, she said. The US wants Europeans to be a strong link in the framework of NATO, the defense minister added.

Answering a question on the goals of strengthening the European Defense Community, von der Leyen said that the Ebola outbreak and Islamic State organization’s attacks on Yazidis demonstrated that in case of crisis, Europe needs to be more flexible and quick in providing a response.