Dispute over responsibilities: Resistance from Berlin: EU scraps defence initiative
The EU's foreign affairs chief had planned to present a high-level group on defence issues on this Monday. Just hours before the kick-off event was set to start, the plan is now being cancelled.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has cancelled plans to set up an expert group to strengthen European defence policy due to opposition from some member states. The group was meant to identify gaps in Europe's conventional military capabilities and provide concrete recommendations, with leading representatives from several EU states, the UK, and Ukraine set to be members.
Germany and Italy were among those opposed to the initiative, reportedly due to concerns over jurisdiction and a preference for NATO planning processes. The EU's External Action Service said it will explore new possibilities for cooperation with EU states, and that the need for Europe to accelerate its defence efforts remains.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's report — not a translation of it. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
