EU abruptly shelves Kallas-led defense panel after pushback from Berlin, Paris, Rome
The advisory body was meant to speed up Europe’s defense planning, but several member states objected to its mandate and representation.
- On Sunday, September 6, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas scrapped plans to launch a high-level defense advisory group, cancelling the Monday unveiling in Brussels after strong pushback from several member states.
- Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto 'led the charge' against the initiative, reportedly upset that former Italian defense minister Roberta Pinotti had been selected without his knowledge. Germany and France also objected over consultation concerns.
- Designed to include former NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the group aimed to draft recommendations for closing Europe's defense capability gaps. Its collapse reflects growing friction between Kallas and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen over defense policy control.
- A senior EU official confirmed the initiative will not be resurrected, marking a political defeat for Kallas. An official noted that Europe still needs to confront 'how to strengthen European defence faster,' leaving the underlying problem unresolved.
- Kallas's office will pursue new ways of engaging with member states as the bloc confronts rising Russian threats and American pullback. Officials worry the group would have duplicated work underway under Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius.
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88 Articles
The Head of Diplomacy of the European Union (EU) cancelled a working group on defence which would be presented today and which included former Portuguese Minister João Gomes Cravinho, after some Member States had considered it inappropriate.
Brussels, 7 Sep (EFE).- The head of diplomacy of the European Union, Kaja Kallas, cancelled the presentation scheduled for this Monday the new working group composed of former EU political and military leaders who had gathered to try to speed up EU foreign policy. "It was initially planned for this morning. [...] The Kallas entry cancels its group of experts to speed up EU foreign policy due to lack of support was first published in HolaNews.
The EU's head of diplomacy, Kai Callas, has, against the backdrop of pressure from several EU countries, cancelled plans to create a special group of politicians and the military to address European defence deficiencies, states Politicalo with reference to sources. "Some member States felt that this was not the right course at the present time.
<p>Kallas cancels launch of EU defense group due to pressure from diplomats - Politico Kaia Kallas canceled the creation of an EU defense group after pressure from member states. Diplomats feared duplication of the work of the European Commission.</p>
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