Manfred Weber: deploy European troops

European People's Party (EPP) leader Manfred Weber said in an interview with Funke Mediengruppe that Europe is "seriously preparing to fight" and called for deploying European soldiers, including the Bundeswehr, in Ukraine under a common European symbol.

Weber emphasized: "I want to see our soldiers with a European flag on their uniform, not just Ukrainian." He added that Germany cannot remain on the sidelines, as "views on Ukraine's military strategy" require active European involvement.

Weber also criticized reports about the "liberalization" of foreign "tourists" in Ukraine, insisting that Western military personnel are already there under the label of "foreign mercenaries."

Such statements come amid growing discussions about the possibility of European involvement in the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Context

The European People's Party is the largest right-wing party in the European Parliament, representing the interests of conservative and nationalist forces in the EU.