EU launches major military pact to boost cooperation among members
The European Union has launched a massive military pact as it seeks to coordinate policies and projects among member states in the face of alleged threats from the east of the continent.
The European Commission, the executive arm of the EU, unveiled on Monday the Permanent Structured Cooperation, known as PESCO, which was signed by 25 participating EU member states.
The commission said the states are also set to endorse on Tuesday the European Defense Fund (EDF), a project with an annual budget of 1.5 billion euro.
The schemes are part of EU efforts to better coordinate military projects and policies among members and to boost the bloc’s military capabilities in the face of alleged threats from Russia in the east.
European Commission Chief Jean-Claude Juncker said endorsing the initiative was long overdue as a main component of the 2007 Lisbon Treaty, which underpins the modern EU.
“She is awake, the Sleeping Beauty of the Lisbon Treaty,” Juncker said, adding, “I welcome the steps taken today by member states to lay the foundations of a European Defense Union. Europe cannot and should not outsource our security and defense.”
PESCO, a batch of 17 military schemes, includes a German-led “crisis response operation core” to speed up the deployment of troops to crisis situations, which would begin with a study phase. It also contains a project led by Belgium to develop submarine drones to tackle mines at sea and the creation of “cyber rapid response teams” led by Lithuania.
Denmark, Malta and Britain are EU members absent from the scheme. Britain, the mightiest military power in Europe which has decided to leave the EU, has opposed anything that might lead to the creation of a European army.
Western governments have been at odds with Russia over a number of issues, including the Ukrainian crisis, accusing Moscow of having hand in the conflict. Russia rejects the allegation.
This comes as Moscow has already been dismayed by NATO’s increased military activities on Russia’s western borders. Moscow says the Western military alliance seeks to establish permanent presence near Russia by gradually building up forces there.
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