[catfish1957]

I don't know if keeping Putin in check, would constitute making a the EU a "3rd power". I think they already have the military resouces in hand to pull that off already.

IF you are alluding that the need would need to significantly "militarize" Eurpoe, then I agree. But I don't think that is the case.

[Olog-hai]

Not that there is a particular need (I do not regard Putin’s threats to nuke Poland and Ukraine as empty, though), but the European Union elites have been pushing for centralized EU militarization for a long time and this would give them the excuse more than other threats.