GETTY EU chiefs will surge ahead with plans for a multi-national army to tackle Russia's threat

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With no Britain to guard against the proposals for a multi-national force, the EU elite, spearheaded by Jean-Claude Juncker, will seek to create the “defence community”. The move, initially rejected by France 72 years ago for infringing on national sovereignty, would see an EU army coordinated from Brussels.

Joint military operations would be carried out by “battle groups”, which have never been used before. European foreign affairs chief and vice-president of the commission, Federica Mogherini, held back the releasing proposal details drafted in June, allowing Mr Juncker to use them in his plans for the EU.

GETTY The EU army would be controlled from a central hub in Brussels

She said: “For the first time since the death of the European Defence Community in 1954, I believe a window of opportunity has been opened to give life to a European defence.” In a stinging assault on Britain’s scepticism about an EU army, Ms Mogherini said: “I wanted to send the message that, despite the British exit, Europe can and must move forward with the process of integration. “The prospect of Brexit offered an opportunity not to be slowed by the country that was always most determinedly opposed to the idea of pooling the instruments of defence.”

GETTY Jean-Claude Juncker and Federica Mogherini are pushing for the EU Ary to become a reality

GETTY The main purpose of the EU force would be to act as a deterrent against Russia

Political barriers preventing battlegroups being deployed will be removed – making 18 national battalions, including British troops, available but never yet used for military missions. The foreign affairs chief added: “They have existed for years. They work and train together but they have never been used on the ground.