Europe is "not at war and not going to be," the EU foreign policy chief assured as Russia's war on Ukraine passed the two-year mark.
Speaking to the Spanish TV channel La Sexta on Monday, Josep Borrell said: "We are not at war and we are not going to be, but we must increase our defense capabilities."
"There is a war in Eastern Europe that does not seem to be coming to an end," Borrell said, calling on Europeans to understand that their peace is an "exception."
"The world is a violent world," he added.
Asked whether the EU is considering sending troops as French President Emmanuel Macron recommended, Borrell reiterated that such deployment is not on the agenda as "Europe is not at war."
"If we were at war, we would be talking about World War III," he said.
