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Brussels – Europe’s security is back at the centre of the political agenda, with an unprecedented opening between the European Union and the United Kingdom for strategic defence cooperation.
On Sunday 2 March, a group of EU leaders will travel to London to discuss a joint defence plan with the British government, marking a significant step forward in relations between the two sides of the Channel. The announcement came from Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk during a meeting in Warsaw with the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa. The news confirms the Financial Times’s anticipations, according to which British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has already instructed the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, to draft a specific proposal to present to European leaders. At the heart of the negotiations would be the creation of a common pan-European fund to strengthen military spending, a topic that will be discussed in the coming days at the G20 in Cape Town.
A new balance of security
This initiative is part of a geopolitical context marked by uncertainty. The possible withdrawal of the United States from European defence, threatened by the return to the political scene of Donald Trump, has accelerated the need for European strategic autonomy. The prospect of a partial withdrawal of American support has pushed Brussels and London to overcome post-Brexit frictions, recognizing that common security requires cooperation beyond political divisions. The hypothesis of a European rearmament fund or bank, advanced by Polish Finance Minister Andrzej Domanski, would represent a concrete step towards greater military independence of the continent. The idea of a “Rearmament Bank” could allow financing the increase in armaments production and guarantee resources for support to Ukraine, at a crucial moment in the conflict with Russia.
London’s role in European security
The participation of the United Kingdom in this new initiative shows a change of direction in British foreign policy. Keir Starmer, keen to reposition the country as a key player on the international stage, has already shown openness to greater integration with the EU on security issues. After Brexit, London has maintained a leading role in supporting Ukraine, providing weapons and military assistance. However, the lack of a formal cooperation structure with the EU has limited the ability to address common challenges. The British Prime Minister will also travel to Washington to meet Trump and discuss the possibility of a European peacekeeping contingent in Ukraine. This proposal, already explored by Emmanuel Macron, could involve the deployment of at least 30,000 troops to ensure post-conflict security.
The extraordinary summit on 6 March
The meeting in London precedes the extraordinary European summit on 6 March, in which EU leaders will have to define clear strategies for the continent’s security. Ursula von der Leyen has already announced that she will present a comprehensive plan to increase European arms production, marking a further step towards strengthening the Union’s defensive capabilities. In this scenario, cooperation with London could prove crucial to building a more solid and resilient security architecture. As Tusk stressed, the priority is to strengthen European unity and create an axis of cooperation with the United Kingdom and Norway to address the challenges posed by Russia and ensure stability in Ukraine.
Towards a new era in European defence
The rapprochement between the EU and the United Kingdom in the defence field could mark the beginning of a new phase in bilateral relations, characterised by more pragmatic cooperation. If the negotiations lead to the creation of a common fund and more structured collaboration, Europe could take a decisive step towards greater strategic autonomy. It remains to be seen how the United States will react and what Trump’s attitude will be towards a more independent Europe in terms of security. What is certain, however, is that Brussels and London seem increasingly aware of the need for a common defence, independently of the Atlantic umbrella.
Alessandro Fiorentino