EU Common Defence 

This is one to watch: Germany eyes EU defense union without Britain

Germany and France want to forge closer defense cooperation in the European Union following the departure of Britain, which has “paralyzed” such initiatives in the past, German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday.

Presenting a report on German security policy, von der Leyen said Germany and France would lead talks with other countries to assess their appetite for common projects and with the long-term aim of moving toward a common security and defense union.

“I can tell you from experience that in the past Britain has said it will not do these things,” she told a news conference.

“This paralyzed the European Union on the issues of foreign and security policy. This cannot mean that the rest of Europe remains inactive, but rather we need to move forward on these big issues.”

The UK has been highly aligned with the USA, especially since Suez, while the French have been more independent since the same event. Binding France and Germany together is also aligned with the long term goals of both countries – to avoid a repeat of the history of conflict between them. This is one to watch for sure.