Description
Following UK withdrawal from the European Union, the AUKUS agreement, and deterioration in Anglo-French relations, the previously close defence and security relationship is undermined by mistrust and even antipathy. This threatens European security and defence capability, coherence, and resilience. We argue that both the EU and UK must recognise the risks from degraded European defence and security cooperation. To enable re-engagement, France must lead on ensuring EU relevance and capability within NATO, thereby convincing the UK of the necessity for full cooperation with France and its EU partners. The onus is on the EU to make itself an indispensable partner, fully compatible with NATO obligations, and committed to upgrading European capability and military-industrial heft. This requires substantial uplift in EU member states’ resourcing of capability, and integration through PESCO and joint operations. The EU must ensure openness to full UK participation in CSDP-related activities, including European defence-industrial projects.
