France, Germany to pitch EU defence plan

EU defence ministers including Britain’s Michael Fallon will discuss Franco-German proposals in the hope of whittling down a host of ideas into a coherent strategy for their leaders to formally back at a summit in December. Britain, which retains full voting rights until it leaves the European Union, is adamant the plans must not weaken NATO and it has some support from wary Poland and the Baltic nations. The ideas to share national assets, deepen cooperation in EU missions and establish a joint EU military headquarters have emerged as the most tangible way for governments to pull together following Britain’s referendum to quit the bloc. 

Building on stop-start initiatives dating back to the late 1990s, the plans could strengthen the European Union’s ability to act without the United States to respond to challenges on its borders, from failing states to a more aggressive Russia. European military spending is a fraction of the United States’ and only a handful of countries, including Britain, Estonia and Greece, spend generously on defence.