EU is to set up high-level group to respond to new military threats: Ukraine will take part
The EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, has announced the establishment of a high-level group on the bloc’s defence capabilities to develop new approaches to responding to military threats.
Kaja Kallas announced this at an informal meeting of EU defence ministers in Druids Glen, County Wicklow (Ireland), according to Censor.NET.
What is known?
Callas stated that the group would comprise former political and military leaders from several EU countries, as well as from the UK and Ukraine.
"This is an issue where speed of action is crucial. Of course, NATO remains the cornerstone of our European security, and at the same time the US is also calling on its European allies to take on greater responsibility for their own defence, and there are many things we can do to invest in the right course of action and the appropriate defence capabilities," said Kallas.
The EU delegation’s remit and Ukraine’s participation
- The group is due to begin its work next week. The chief diplomat clarified that the group should focus on the challenges facing the EU in the face of pressure from the US for Europeans to take greater responsibility for their own security.
Callas explained that she had enlisted the help of former senior officials because they "can say things that we, as an institution, cannot".
"We do not need to duplicate US capabilities, as we must focus primarily on the defence of European territory, but we must make use of our unique strengths – of which there are many – in particular the innovative defence industries we have in Europe, and we must also draw on Ukraine’s wealth of operational and innovative experience in our discussions. I therefore ask this group to challenge conventional thinking and look beyond simply doing the same things, but on a larger scale. The task is precisely to identify what Europe needs to do differently in order to be able to defend itself more effectively, more quickly and more intelligently", she added.
