German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen arrives for a cabinet meeting at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany August 24, 2016. REUTERS/Stefanie Loos
VILNIUS (Reuters) - Germany's defence minister called for a European "defence union" on Thursday during a visit to the Baltic state of Lithuania, where Berlin is preparing to lead a battle group of about 1,000 troops as a deterrence against neighbouring Russia.
The European Union has long considered forging closer defence ties while not undermining the U.S.-led NATO alliance, to which many EU member states also belong, especially in the face of a more aggressive Russia and worsening conflicts in the Middle East.
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