EU aims for security deal with Britain - Brussels tries to "persuade" member states to negotiate with London
The European Commission is trying "intensively" to convince member states to give it a mandate to negotiate a security and defense partnership with the United Kingdom.
Negotiating such a partnership requires unanimous approval by the 27 member states, but some states, such as France, have already signaled that they want any security pact to be included in a broader reset of relations, bringing back the Brexit mantra that "nothing is agreed until everything is agreed."
For the EU's external action service (EEAS), increased security and defence cooperation with the United Kingdom "is a must" because the current geopolitical context is "dramatically" different from when the two sides reached the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, which sets out the terms of their relationship.
"Since the foreign policy statement was left out of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, we need to find new ways and a new basis for our cooperation," say sources from Brussels and London.
"For this, the High Representative needs a mandate from the Council of the EU, meaning the approval of all member states. Discussions are continuing intensively to obtain this mandate," they add.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who came to power last summer, has increased the pressure for a security and defense pact, which he said last month should focus on research and development, military mobility across Europe, greater cooperation on missions and operations, and industrial cooperation.
Donald Trump's surprise decision to open talks with Russia to end its war in Ukraine has accelerated a rapprochement between the United Kingdom and EU member states to discuss European defense and security guarantees for Ukraine.
As for Kiev, France and Great Britain are a few steps ahead, as both countries have indicated their willingness to send troops to Ukraine as part of a peacekeeping mission.
High Representative Kaja Kallas, who has presented an initiative for a coalition ready to provide military support worth up to 40 billion euros in the short term to Ukraine, plans to visit the UK on Wednesday where she will meet with the British Chief of the Defence Staff.
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