Former European Parliament's chief Brexit negotiator, Guy Verhofstadt, has reiterated his call for a European Defence Union with its own resources and political structures to lead it, dismissing Europe's efforts as "backward thinking" and "dangerous".

       "We need a European Defence Union with own resources to finance it and common political structures to lead it. Everything less is useless... and dangerous," Verhofstadt wrote on X.

       He added: "Europe is so backward thinking about national sovereignty that it criminally neglects our common security."

       Verhofstadt's comments come as NATO has been expanding its military presence in Europe, with plans to deploy American troops to the continent in the event of a potential conflict with Russia.

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       The alliance is establishing new "land corridors" across central Europe to facilitate rapid mobilisation of troops, bypassing bureaucratic hurdles.

       Russian President Vladimir Putin has been warning of the possibility of a world war, threatening severe consequences for Western nations supporting Ukraine in its defence against the Russian invasion.

       In response, European leaders are adopting a tougher stance against Moscow, with some discussing the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine and boosting defence spending.

       NATO officials have stressed the urgency of bolstering Europe's defences, citing warnings that Russia could pose a credible threat to the region within a few years.

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       The alliance is exploring various countermeasures to strengthen its position, including measures to mitigate logistical challenges and communication disruptions in the event of an attack.

       Verhofstadt's call for a European Defence Union is likely to be met with resistance from some EU member states, which have traditionally been wary of ceding sovereignty to Brussels.

       However, the growing tensions with Russia and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine have raised questions about the need for a more robust European defence capability.