Nine European Union member states agreed on to form a joint military intervention force designed to protect the EU-borders. The European Intervention Initiative, has the support of the United Kingdom as it prepares to leave the EU next year?
NATO (outside borders) and the Schengen Agreement (inside border regulations) have proven not to be capable of protecting the EU borders, leading to massive migration flows from African and the Middle East.
Foreign ministers from the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Portugal, Spain and the U.K. signed a letter of intent in Luxembourg to form the European Army and rapid intervention force.
During a meeting the Council of the European Union adopted governance rules for projects within the framework of Permanent Structured Cooperation on security and defense, or PESCO.
Twenty-five EU members signed PESCO agreement in December 2017, but it’s unclear whether the council will also decide on conditions for participations of third states, such as the UK or the USA.
The UK has traditionally opposed anything resembling a ‘European Defense Unit’ but is eager to support smaller initiatives outside the scope of the EU.
The USA and NATO expressed concerns about PESCO, with U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis apparently worrying about it “pulling resources or capabilities away from NATO.”
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has said that such European defense efforts were only welcome if they are coordinated with NATO plans.
The Defense Post / ABC Flash Point Military News 2018.
