Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson has rejected European Commission President Juncker's comments calling for the formation of an EU Army.
Mr Nicholson said:
"The calls by President Juncker and others for the formation of a European Army are fundamentally misguided, and are more about the EU's own inflated self-importance than the security of Europe.
"There is absolutely no mandate for the UK Government to give up its defence and foreign policy responsibilities to Brussels bureaucrats.
"For years the United Kingdom has been the only major NATO power in Europe meeting its commitment of 2% of GDP to be spent on defence. I fail to see how creating a European Army would help national governments to meet their NATO commitments, and even worse, how it would improve our security.
"A European Army comes with much cost, both financially and in terms of security. Yet there would be no tangible benefit nor is there any reason to believe it would add anything to our military capabilities.
"If Europe is serious about security, and serious about protecting Member States from aggression, then it should drop its fanciful and fundamentally misguided notions about creating a European Army."