The EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, announced the creation of a high-level group composed of former political and military leaders to reflect on the future of European defence. The new body is expected to be launched next week and will include figures from the European Union, the United Kingdom and Ukraine.
Kallas made this announcement during an informal meeting of EU Defence ministers in Ireland, stating that NATO remains the cornerstone of European security, but that the United States is also calling on European allies to take greater responsibility for their own defence.
The former Prime Minister of Estonia explained that the initiative aims to bring to the debate a perspective that can go beyond the institutional approach of Brussels, highlighting that former leaders can say things that institutions cannot. The experience gained by Ukraine during the war with Russia is expected to play a relevant role in this exercise.
Kallas has not yet revealed the names of the group's members, but has committed to providing more details about the composition and mandate when the body is formally launched next week.
