The European Union will set up a high-level group to examine new ways to strengthen its defense capabilities and respond to growing military threats. The EU’s High Representative for Foreign Policy, Kaja Kallas, announced on Tuesday that the group will include former political and military leaders from several European Union countries, as well as the United Kingdom and Ukraine. Speaking ahead of an informal meeting of EU defense ministers, Kallas said the group would be tasked with “taking a fresh look at how we should respond to current and increasingly real military threats” to the European Union.
His work is expected to begin next week. The initiative comes at a time when the United States is pressuring European countries to take more responsibility for their own security. Kallas argued that Europe should not try to copy all the military capabilities of the United States, but focus on its own needs and on protecting European territory. “We do not need to copy the capabilities of the United States, as we should focus first and foremost on protecting European territory, but we should use our unique strengths,” she said.
Among them, Kallas singled out innovative defense industries in Europe, but also the experience of Ukraine. According to her, the discussions should include “the rich operational and innovative experience of Ukraine”. Kallas said that she had chosen to include former high-level officials in the group because they “can say things that we as institutions cannot”. “I am asking this group to challenge the traditional way of thinking and go beyond the idea of simply doing the same things, but on a larger scale”, she said. According to Kallas, the challenge is to determine what Europe needs to do differently “to be able to defend itself more effectively, faster and smarter”.
The European initiative comes as the US Department of Defense has begun a six-month review of the US military presence in Europe, a process that could pave the way for a reduction in US troops on the continent. According to the report, the Pentagon review is expected to be completed on November 6 and present at least four options to US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.