During a speech to the Spanish parliament earlier this year, the country’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez claimed there’s one thing that would guarantee lasting peace in Europe.

His idea is the creation of a new army drawn from the 27 countries whose governments already work together as members of the European Union.

The concept isn't a new one - and NATO already exists, the military alliance which includes EU member states and other European countries.

But talk of a new military force is reappearing as the continent becomes more vulnerable to threats. Its ally the US is increasingly unreliable and unpredictable too.

Other European leaders are also backing the idea

This week we’re asking - “Are we closer to a European army?”

Contributors:

Dick Zandee, Senior Research Fellow and Head of the Security and Defence Programme at the Clingendael Institute

Dr Ulrike Franke, Senior Policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations

Oana Lungescu, Distinguished fellow with the Royal United Services Institute and former NATO spokesperson

Prof. Dr. Sven Biscop, Director of the Europe in the World Programme at Egmont.

Presenter: Charmaine Cozier

Producer: Daniel Rosney

Researcher: Maeve Schaffer

Editor: Tara McDermott

Technical Producer: Toby James

Production Coordinator - Tammy Snow

(Image Credit: FREDERICK FLORIN/AFP via Getty Images)