The French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian urged on Monday the EU to take "strong initiatives" on defence by December, after the vote on the Brexit. "There are between now and December window of opportunity for strong European initiatives", he said at the Summer University of Defence, an annual gathering of politicians, military experts and organized this year at the Ecole Polytechnique near Paris.
"I'm not sure that it will not be a long while before the same conditions exist," said Jean-Yves Le Drian, advocating a "pragmatic and practical" approach. The EU summit in Bratislava on September 16 must give the kickoff to a revival of Europe, particularly in the field of defense, three months after the British decision to leave the EU. No concrete progress on defensc is expected to Bratislava.
"There must be a dynamic on the table" with the aim of achieving "significant guidance" at the December European Council, said Jean-Yves Le Drian.
France and Germany, two key countries for the revival of the EU will then be confronted with important electoral deadlines in 2017 that could stall any European project. Paris wants more European funds to be spent on defence, including on the defence industry, and called for strengthening the capacity to plan and conduct joint operations. Europe must be able to mobilize soldiers faster and "pool" more military resources in joint operations, according to a French diplomat.
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