---
title: "Sikorski: Europe Needs a 'European Legion' of Veterans to Protect Against Russia's Hybrid War"
description: "🇪🇺 Radosław Sikorski called for the creation of a 'European Legion' of veterans to protect against Russia. 🔹 The US is shifting focus to Asia; Europe needs its own 'heavy lifting'. 🔹 The Legion will not replace NATO but will strengthen the European pillar. 🔹 Russia is applying the 'Maskirovka' doctrine and hybrid attacks. 🔹 A peace plan is possible only with Kyiv's participation. #Poland #Europe #Sikorski #NATO #Ukraine"
date: 2026-08-15T18:38:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/sikorski-european-legion-veterans-russia-en
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Sikorski: Europe Needs a 'European Legion' of Veterans to Protect Against Russia's Hybrid War

![Mark Sikorski proposes the creation of a European Legion of veterans to counter Russia’s hybrid warfare](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/15/sikorskiy-europeiskiy-legion-veterany-rossiya/sikorskiy-europeiskiy-legion-veterany-rossiya-1.webp)

### Strategic Shift: From Dependence to Autonomy

Against the backdrop of the changing geopolitical reality of 2026, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski outlined a fundamental security concept for the Old World. In an interview with Kathimerini, cited by RBC-Ukraine, the head of Polish diplomacy stated that Europe requires much deeper military integration. A key element of this strategy will be the creation of a permanent 'European Legion' — a structure capable of acting as a supplement to NATO and effectively recruiting Ukrainian veterans.

Sikorski justifies the need for such measures by the shifting priorities of Washington. According to him, the United States has signaled for years a strategic shift in focus towards the Indo-Pacific region. While the United States remains an indispensable anchor of collective defense, providing unique technological and intelligence capabilities, Europe must take responsibility for doing the 'heavy lifting' directly on the ground.

### The Concept of the 'European Legion' and the Role of Ukrainian Veterans

The Minister clearly defined the format of future forces: 'I strongly advocate for the creation of a "European Legion" — targeted, permanent forces that could recruit experienced professionals from a broader European family, including battle-hardened veterans after the war.' This proposal aims to form a personnel core possessing real combat experience, which is often lacking in the regular armies of Western countries.

It is important to note that Sikorski emphasizes: this is not about building a parallel alternative to NATO or duplicating structures. On the contrary, the goal is to create a stronger European pillar within the Alliance. The 'European Legion' is intended to become a tool that will allow the continent to respond to threats independently, without waiting for the deployment of American contingents, which is critically important given the distance of the US from the European theater of war.

### Hybrid War and the 'Maskirovka' Doctrine

The Polish diplomat pointed out that Russia is already waging an active hybrid war against European societies, using sabotage, disinformation, cyberattacks, and provocations. Moscow applies the 'Maskirovka' doctrine, based on disinformation, camouflage, and operations under a false flag. Sikorski notes a direct correlation: the worse the RF performs on the battlefield in Ukraine, the more aggressively the Kremlin attempts to destabilize the West.

In this context, the creation of permanent forces becomes a matter not only of military but also of internal security. Warsaw regularly warns allies of Moscow's sabotage activities, noting that Russia is preparing new provocations. The goal of disclosing these plans is to deter the Kremlin from further aggressive actions, demonstrating Europe's readiness to respond.

### Diplomatic Vector: Peace on Kyiv's Terms

Discussing the prospects for ending the conflict, Sikorski expressed an important caveat regarding diplomatic efforts. 'Any long-term peace in our region cannot be established without the support of Ukrainians. This must be a peace that is effectively signed by Kyiv and Moscow,' emphasized the head of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He added that Europe, and Poland in particular, must lead at the negotiating table, as Europeans are daily becoming targets of Russian hybrid attacks.

This position correlates with statements by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk that the Polish army will soon become the largest in Europe due to modern weaponry and the rapid growth of the country's economy. Warsaw constantly assesses the risks of a direct clash with the Kremlin, noting that Russia currently lacks the resources to launch a military attack on Poland, and Vladimir Putin is ultimately losing the war against Ukraine.