The European Commission president insisted the bloc should be able to send “battlegroups” into conflict zones without the help of the US. She told MEPs: “There will be missions where Nato or the United Nations will not be present but where Europe should be.”

       Ms von der Leyen, left, said the creation of a 5,000-strong rapid response unit should be part of the EU’s future plans.

       She added: “What has held us back until now is not just a shortfall of capacity – it is the lack of political will. And if we develop this political will, there is a lot we can do at EU level.”

       Brussels-led “battlegroups” were agreed in 2007 but never used because their deployment requires unanimous support from the 27-member bloc.

       One critic, Romanian MEP Cristian Terhes, said: “While Nato is a defence alliance, an EU army implies that such battlegroups will be offensive.”