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Russian lawmaker believes prospects for pan-European Army dim after Brexit

"It’s high time the EU thought about keeping itself alive, not about new forms of integration," says Frants Klintsevich

© EPA/IAN LANGSDON

MOSCOW, August 26. /TASS/. A possibility of translating into life the idea of a pan-European Army that was made public by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka is highly questionable, believes Frants Klintsevich, first deputy chairperson of the committee for defense and security in the upper house of Russian parliament.

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Before the start of a meeting of Prime Ministers of the Visegrad Group (V4) countries with Germany’s Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel, Orban and Sobotka said the EU should discuss the setting up of a pan-European Army.

"I think there’s sense in recalling the idea of a pan-European Army isn’t new - its active discussions began in March 2015 at the suggestion of the European Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker," Klintsevich said.

"Still the very possibility of implementation of the idea on the background of the referendum on Brexit appears to be quite questionable," he said. "It’s high time the EU thought about keeping itself alive, not about new forms of integration."

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