Could a European Army Go It Alone?

The EU already has battlegroups, or units of around 1,500 personnel from different nations, with their deployment only greenlit by a unanimous decision from the European Council. But even the EU concedes its failings. "Issues relating to political will, usability, and financial solidarity have prevented them from being deployed," the bloc said. Ultimately, "there's no consensus," said Ed Arnold, research fellow for European security at the London-based Royal United Services Institute think tank.