European Union to create joint military intervention force
Bureaucracy is holding back European armed forces from reacting to crises and natural disasters, officials say
Nine EU member states are set to sign off on the establishment of a joint European military intervention force, an initiative which has won the backing of the UK as it seeks to maintain defence ties after Brexit.
Spearheaded by French President Emmanuel Macron, the European force will be designed to deploy and coordinate forces rapidly to deal with crises around the world.
Defence ministers from France, Germany, Belgium, Britain, Denmark, the Netherlands, Estonia, Spain and Portugal are expected to sign a letter of intent in Luxembourg on Monday.
Since the election of its new government, Italy has backtracked on its initial support, but Rome has not ruled out the country’s future involvement.
Macron outlined his vision of strategic autonomy for European defence in a keynote Sorbonne speech last September.
It is a development that has caused some anxiety within Nato, where officials are concerned about any duplication of roles and distancing from the US.