The leaders are meeting for the first time since the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and the loss of France’s multi-billion dollar submarine deal with Australia
EU leaders are meeting for the first time since the mess Western troops withdraw from Afghanistan and France lost billions of dollars submarine deal with australiaEvents they argue have highlighted Europe’s need for greater autonomy over defence.
The leaders will have much to discuss during their dinner at Brodo Castle in Slovenia on Tuesday on the eve of the summit with leaders of neighboring Balkan countries. Tensioned relations between the 27-nation trade bloc with China and rising energy prices will also be on the agenda.
Informal talks are not expected to yield concrete results, but are intended to prepare the ground for a scheduled two-day EU summit in Brussels later this month.
French President Emmanuel Macron, who has pushed for greater strategic autonomy for the bloc for years, is expected to lead the dinner discussions. okus, Indo-Pacific defense deal between the US, Australia and the UK that led to Australia canceling the contract for diesel-electric French submarines.
“The dinner will focus on the role of the EU on the international scene – a massive event – but especially in light of recent developments in Afghanistan, the AUKUS episode, and more generally, what it says about trans-Atlantic relations. An EU official involved in the preparations for the meeting said the official spoke anonymously in accordance with EU practice.
Australia is Acquisition of American nuclear-powered ships instead of French submarines. The move by the Australian government has angered France, which is seeking an explanation from Washington about its commitment to European allies. Several EU member states have expressed solidarity with France.
Macron and US President Joe Biden have discussed the crackdown over the phone to defuse tensions, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken is currently in Paris trying to restore the confidence of the French government.
The head of the EU’s executive branch, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, spoke to Biden by phone on the eve of the summit. Von der Leyen said they discussed climate change, defence, trade, the Western Balkans and other geopolitical issues.
Macron is now calling on France’s EU allies to use the bloc’s shortcomings in Afghanistan and the AUKUS fallout as a springboard to develop European defense capabilities, as well as strengthen ties with the US. are.
European Union Council President Charles Michel also advocates greater strategic autonomy through a partnership between the EU and NATO.
It is also expected that the 27 leaders will re-evaluate their relationship with China, a topic they have not discussed as a group for more than a year. Since its last talks, the bloc has adopted a massive investment deal with Beijing, but also approved sanctions against Chinese officials over human rights abuses in the far western Xinjiang region.
Another EU official said anonymously, “A year later, in this globalized world, when we see tensions between the US and China, we will make our position clear.”
The meeting is scheduled to take place with tight security as the opponents of the COVID-19 pass plan to demonstrate.
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