EU and Russia becoming the new global power

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November 29, 2009
Russia sends security pact draft to leaders abroad

Steve Gutterman

Russia stepped up its campaign for a new trans-Atlantic security treaty that would bolster Russia's global influence, saying Sunday that President Dmitry Medvedev had sent a draft proposal to foreign leaders.

The treaty would prohibit signatories from taking action that would "affect significantly" the security of any other party to the pact. That clause could give Moscow a strong say in shaping NATO policy and a lever to limit U.S. support for ex-Soviet republics such as Georgia, whose military was routed in a five-day war with Russia last year.

Medvedev has been trying to sell the idea of an overarching security pact to Europe and the U.S. since he took office in May 2008, but has met a lukewarm reception. Western leaders have politely expressed interest, but asked for more details and warned there is no need to replace existing security arrangements.

Russian officials have said the proposal is not meant to weaken or replace NATO, which was created after World War II to counter the Soviet Union.

But the draft is unlikely to ease Western concerns that the pact could significantly bolster Russia's influence when trust is still frayed by its invasion of Georgia and its recognition of two Moscow-backed separatist regions in Georgia as independent nations.

A Kremlin statement said the goal of the proposal is "to create a single, indivisible space in the sphere of military-political security in the Euro-Atlantic (region), in order to be through with the Cold War for good," the statement said.

A Medvedev mantra has been that no nation or alliance should improve its own security at the expense of others.

Russia has long expressed concern about U.S. military influence near its borders and portrayed NATO's expansion into the area dominated by Moscow during the Cold War as a potential security threat.

The draft is called a European Security Treaty, but Russian officials have made clear it is meant to include the U.S. as well as other former Soviet republics, saying it could cover a region stretching "from Vancouver to Vladivostok."

Carolina Vendil-Pallin, Russia expert at the Swedish Defence Research Agency in Stockholm, said Europe would likely not rush to sign a new agreement with Russia and would not be interested in replacing current treaties with a deal that covers only security.

"I find it very hard to believe that Europe would separate hard security from economic relations and human rights," she told The Associated Press. "Europe is in no hurry with this because Europe isn't dissatisfied with the current architecture."

Analysts have said the West could use the proposal to engage Russia on a broader range of issues.

"I think it should be seen as a step in the process," Vendil-Pallin said. "There are plenty of reasons to negotiate."

It was unclear exactly when the draft was sent to other nations, and there was no immediate response from Western governments.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Downing Street office said it could not immediately comment.

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Are the EU and Russia becoming the new global power?

November 29, 4:03 PM
Huntington County Political Buzz Examiner
Mark Shoffner

Russian President, Dmitry Medvdev, has sent a security proposal to European security agencies, including NATO and the EU. The draft calls for all nations that agree, to the final writing, will follow the principle “indivisible, equal and undiminished security”. The proposal includes these few ideas of joint security. “That parties do not undertake, support or participate in actions that can jeopardize the security of another party to the treaty". The sides also agree not to allow the use of its territory with the purpose of attacking their partners.

The draft suggests that every party to the agreement is entitled to consider any attack on another party in a treaty as attack against itself.“In exercising its right of self-defense under Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, it shall be entitled to render the attacked Party, subject to its consent, the necessary assistance, including the military one, until the UN Security Council has taken measures necessary to maintain international peace and security,” the draft says.

It also stipulated that the treaty should be open for signature by all states and international organizations of the Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian space, including the European Union, NATO, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Collective Security Treaty Organization and also the Commonwealth of Independent States.” (http://www.rt.com/Politics/2009-11-2...-medvedev.html) President Medvedev said about the draft, “The initiative remains topical. Russia is ready to discuss different editions of this draft and to listen to proposals of our partners”. This statement gave after a question about the European Union's reforms.

Former member of the European Parliament, Giulietto Chiesa said, “The Russian draft of a European security treaty is a good platform to begin discussion. Another question is to understand if Europe – I mean the European Union and the rest of the European countries – are prepared to begin this discussion. It is a very broad issue.”

To reassure the international community, Mikhail Troitsky, a political analyst at Moscow State University of International Relations said, “The European security treaty proposed by Russia is by no means an alliance, but rather a mechanism to resolve conflicts.”

But an editorial by Pravda writer, Natalia Serova, brings this assessment into question. In her article, she mentions the fact of the growing association between the U.S. And China “Europe needs to get rid of America’s influence because the latter plans to betray its old-time partners for the sake of the new partnership – with China. The Washington-Beijing axis is a real threat, and Europe will be able to handle it only if it joins forces with Russia.” As well as Russia using its influence with Italy to push forward an agenda of the EU not aiding in military actions set into motion by the politicians in Washington. (http://english.pravda.ru/world/europe/110792-1/)

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* EUROPE NEWS
* NOVEMBER 30, 2009
Moscow Posts Draft of European Treaty

* Article
* Comments (2)

By MARC CHAMPION

Russia on Sunday published the draft text of a new European security treaty it wants to see adopted, adding flesh to calls President Dmitry Medvedev has made for new security architecture.

The text, published on the Kremlin's official Web site, would create an umbrella agreement to be signed by governments in places "from Vancouver to Vladivostok," as well as by existing security organizations including the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the European Union, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the Collective Security Treaty Organization, which consists of Russia and six ex-Soviet states.

Western leaders have reacted skeptically to Mr. Medvedev's calls for a new security treaty until now. Last week, he said he would publish the draft in response to demands for detail. Russia's draft treaty would enable any signatory to call a summit if it considered its security under threat. The draft also includes collective security clauses, similar to NATO's, and would give signatories wide-ranging rights to object to actions by others that it considers contrary to its security interests.

The goal of the treaty, according to a Kremlin statement, would be that "no one state, and no one international organization could strengthen their security at the expense of other countries and organizations."

Western diplomats and analysts said the draft would be read with caution by the U.S. and other NATO members, worried that the treaty could be used to undermine existing security institutions -- NATO in particular.

Under the draft, signatories would have to ensure that "any actions" they take on the territory of another treaty signatory don't significantly affect the security of a third treaty signatory, said Stephen Flanagan at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank, adding that could give Russia more leverage to block NATO activity on the territory of its members in Central and Eastern Europe.

Spokesmen for NATO and the U.S. State Department couldn't be reached for comment Sunday.

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European security treaty 'to end Cold War legacy': Medvedev

(AFP) – 11 hours ago

MOSCOW — Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Sunday unveiled a much-vaunted draft European security treaty which he said would finally end Cold War mentalities, despite a lukewarm reception in the West.

Medvedev's proposal will help the world "finally get rid of the legacy of the Cold War," the Kremlin said in a statement accompanying the release of the seven-page draft document.

Medvedev began pushing the treaty in mid-2008 and intensified his efforts after the Russia-Georgia war, but most Western countries have been cool to the idea and some European officials have said it was lacking in detail.

Countries that sign the treaty "shall not undertake, participate in or support any actions or activities affecting significantly (the) security of any other Party or Parties to the Treaty," the document reads.

Nor shall they allow their territory to be used for an attack or "any other actions significantly affecting (the) security of any other Party."

The draft treaty does not, however, define what sort of activities could be considered as "significantly" affecting national security.

Russia has complained repeatedly in recent years about moves to bring US and NATO military forces into former communist countries, such as a now-scrapped Pentagon plan to build a missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic.

Russia also condemned NATO military exercises carried out earlier this year in Georgia, a sworn enemy of Russia since their August 2008 war.

Medvedev's draft treaty stresses the role of the United Nations, saying that the UN Security Council, on which Russia has a permanent seat, "bears the primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and stability."

The draft document has been sent to leaders of all relevant countries as well as to multinational organisations such as the European Union and NATO, the Kremlin said.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has said the alliance would respond to Medvedev's ideas.

In September, Medvedev sought to build support for the treaty, which he said would prevent regional conflicts from spilling over into wars, in an address to the UN General Assembly.

He said that during the Georgia-Russia conflict "we were very close to the situation in which a local armed conflict was capable of growing into a large-scale war.

"In order for this not to be repeated, there's a need for precise, workable mechanisms of the realisation of the principle of the non-divisibility of security," said Medvedev.

"Principles of non-divisibility of security should become an integral part of the modern international law. We are all hoping that the Cold War is behind us, but the world has not become safer," he added.

Copyright © 2009 AFP. All rights reserved.

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Renewing Europe’s Security Dialogue

George A. Papandreou (WORLD VIEW)

1 December 2009

The year 2009 has been one of great change, taking place amidst even greater uncertainty. Twenty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the resilience of the post-Cold War security system in Europe is being tested.

Longstanding conflicts remain unresolved and complex new challenges are emerging. Energy security, organised crime, terrorism, absolutism and fundamentalism, climate change, and cybercrime are acute concerns for every country.

The economic crisis has left many people far less prosperous, and perhaps less inclined to be ambitious in our efforts to address Europe’s security challenges. But we must also keep in mind that crisis brings with it opportunities for change. This year has also seen a number of positive developments, including a “reset” in relations between two key players in the European security dialogue: Russia and the United States. The European Union has recently taken important steps towards greater cohesion and unity with the appointment of a President and High Representative for Foreign Affairs.

We should celebrate these achievements even as we recognise that serious problems remain to be resolved. There are different perspectives on how Europe’s security architecture should be designed, but we all agree on the urgent need to tackle this critical challenge through constructive dialogue.

It is in this spirit of cooperation and bridge-building that 56 foreign ministers - representing the US, Canada, and European countries, including the Russian Federation and the rest of the former Soviet Union - will meet in Athens on December 1-2 on my invitation to discuss the future of European security. The talks mark the continuation of the “Corfu Process,” anchored in the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which began with an informal ministerial meeting on 
Corfu in June.

An attempt to address Europe’s unfinished business, the Corfu Process is an opportunity for us to come together to assess the gaps in our common security, to craft more effective responses to existing challenges, and - most importantly - to generate new political will for joint action. This includes action to preserve arms-control regimes, including the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe; to accelerate the resolution of protracted conflicts; to promote human rights and fundamental freedoms; and to assess and address traditional and new threats.

We cannot afford to leave the region’s protracted conflicts such as the ones in Nagorno-Karabakh and Transnistria on the back burner, as last year’s war in Georgia made abundantly clear. People living in these areas need peace and stability, not a fragile status quo that could suddenly shatter and turn violent.

Security challenges in neighbouring regions also require a joint response. Afghanistan is a case in point. And threats like terrorism, trafficking of arms, drugs, and people, and climate change are borderless and complex. Only a joint response can be effective.

The fall of the Berlin Wall marked the end of an era of mistrust and division, and opened the way for cooperation aimed at a peaceful and stable Europe. Europe has come a long way from those years of division, but we have not yet fully reaped the benefits promised by the wave of change of 1989.

The OSCE meeting in Athens comes at a critical time, when Europeans must move into the twenty-first century more united than ever before. We must take this opportunity to restore the full capacity of the OSCE and make a fresh commitment to an indivisible European security system.

George Papandreou is Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Greece, and the 
Chairman-in-Office of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe

© Project Syndicate

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Foreign ministers of France, Germany, Poland, Russia back EU-Russia security committee

By The Associated Press (CP) – 2 days ago

PARIS — The foreign ministers of France, Germany, Poland and Russia backed a proposal Wednesday for a joint European Union-Russia security committee to resolve regional crises.

The meeting in Paris was the first time Russia has joined in discussions with the so-called Weimar Triangle — France, Germany and Poland — a sign of increased strategic relations. The three-way consultations began in 1991 but had languished recently, before ministers pledged last year to revive the forum.

Bernard Kouchner of France, Sergey Lavrov of Russia, Radek Sikorski of Poland and Guido Westerwelle of Germany also touched on a dispute between Russia and its ex-Soviet neighbour Belarus over natural gas, as well as the deadly ethnic violence in Kyrgyzstan and the war in Afghanistan.

The meeting came weeks after Germany and Russia proposed a joint European Union-Russian security committee aimed at resolving regional crises and conflicts, saying that contact between the EU and Russia on security matters needs to progress to a higher level.

Kouchner and Lavrov said the four ministers meeting in Paris supported that proposal.

"We should propose (the idea) together, which must obviously be accepted by the European Union," Kouchner said. He added, "Partnership with Russia is a strategic objective" for the EU. "It is not at all a divisive factor."

The proposed new forum, called the EU-Russia Political and Security Committee, would work on the ministerial level, with the EU High Representative Catherine Ashton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in charge. Lavrov said the proposed committee would bring "a new level of quality to our co-operation."

Its main purpose would be to set guidelines for joint EU-Russia crisis management, including military operations. A first problem to be addressed could be the Trans-Dniester conflict, in which Russian troops have been stationed in a separatist area of Moldova for nearly two decades since the breakup of the Soviet Union.

Copyright © 2010 The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Companion Threads:

• Axis new alliance strategy to isolate U.S. from its allies before war
• Is NATO as we know it dissolving?
• The Berlin-Paris-Moscow Axis
• Putin proposes Russia-EU Union
• EU and Russia becoming the new global power
• CSTO could be stronger than NATO'
• Obama Administration opens the door for Russia to join NATO

Europe Is Warming Up to Putin

August 22, 2018, 11:01 PM CDT

With Donald Trump upending diplomatic ties around the world, the Russian leader is finding a friendlier reception from European leaders who’ve long shunned him.

By Ilya Arkhipov
and Arne Delfs

On his way to Berlin for a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Vladimir Putin stopped in the Alps on Aug. 18 for the mountain*side wedding of Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl. Seated at her right hand at one point, Putin traded toasts with the bride, waltzed with her, and even stuck around for the Cossack singers and dancers he’d brought as guest performers. It was just long enough for Russian official media to tout the appearance as evidence Putin is no longer unwelcome in Europe.

Later that day, the German government tried to play down the significance of his meeting with Merkel, but it was hard to deny the symbolism. It was the Russian president’s first one-on-one meeting on the home turf of his most implacable European opponent since relations froze in 2014 after his annexation of Crimea. If not a breakthrough, it was at least a thawing of the ice.

With Donald Trump upending diplomatic ties around the world, Putin is finding a warmer reception from European leaders who’ve long shunned him. Trump’s decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal, plus the billions of dollars in tariffs and sanctions he’s leveled at the European Union and Russia, suddenly give Putin and European leaders a set of common grievances. The U.S. president has added to the pressure with recurrent warnings that he might impose sanctions on a natural gas pipeline under construction from Russia to Germany that Putin and Merkel strongly support.

Although Trump has been a unique catalyst, he’s not the only force behind Europe’s shift toward Russia. Even before he pulled out of the Iran deal and started his trade war this spring, new governments in Italy and Austria were calling for better relations with Moscow. In May, French President Emmanuel Macron attended Putin’s annual economic showcase in St. Petersburg, saying a “strong partnership” could help “anchor Russia to Europe.” The EU has resisted U.S. pressure to add more sanctions on Russia. Speaking in Washington on Aug. 21, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt appealed for more restrictions in the wake of the March poisoning in the U.K. of a former Russian spy, but European officials remain cautious.

“There are 3 million refugees in Turkey. This is potentially a huge burden on Europe, so it is better to do everything possible so that they can return home”

With the U.S. throwing everything from European security to trade deals into question, détente with Moscow is a top priority in Berlin and other capitals. “Merkel is hedging, and Putin is exploiting,” says Josef Janning, senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations in Berlin. Trump’s meeting with Putin in Helsinki—just as the U.S. president attacked Merkel and the German economy—highlighted why the chancellor must cultivate her own relationship with the Russian president, Janning says. “She doesn’t want to give up the chance of keeping Putin within a margin that is manageable for Germany.”

Throughout their meeting, Merkel kept a cautious stance, hosting Putin at a government guest house outside the capital and bypassing the press conference that typically follows such a visit. “It’s a working meeting, and one shouldn’t expect any special results,” Merkel told reporters beforehand. “But we’re dealing with so many problems, from Ukraine to Syria to cooperation in the economic sphere, that it is justified to keep up a permanent dialogue.”

In his opening remarks, Putin issued what sounded like a veiled threat about Syria, where he’s seeking European support for rebuilding efforts after Russian military intervention rescued the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. “There are a million refugees in Jordan and a million in Lebanon,” Putin said. “There are 3 million refugees in Turkey. This is potentially a huge burden on Europe, so it is better to do everything possible so that they can return home.” For Merkel, whose authority at home has been weakened by squabbling over her refugee policy, the message must have sounded ominous.
In another sign that Merkel is reengaging with Russia, before going on vacation in July she met in the chancellery with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and General Valery Gerasimov of the Russian army. The general was on the sanctions list and needed special permission to enter Germany. Afterward, the Russians said, the three talked about the possibility of returning Syrian refugees, something the German government didn’t confirm.

Trump’s threat to impose sanctions on the €9.5 billion ($11 billion) Nord Stream 2 pipeline also strikes a nerve. Stretching beneath the Baltic Sea, the pipeline would double Russia’s capacity to ship gas directly to Germany. The U.S. has long opposed the project as solidifying Russia’s hold on the Continent’s gas supply. Merkel’s commitment to Nord Stream has impressed the Kremlin. In a meeting with Russian diplomats in July, Putin stressed the importance of her support as evidence of her willingness to assert Europe’s independence, say three people who attended. Merkel argues it’s primarily a matter of economics, since Russian gas is cheaper than U.S. supplies.

While the Kremlin welcomes warmer ties with Europe, the relationship that matters is the one with Washington. For Putin, Trump remains a tantalizing opportunity to improve relations. Even after sanctions imposed earlier this month pushed the ruble to a two-year low, the Kremlin is still holding out hope that Trump may yet deliver. With the personal rapport between the leaders warm and contacts expected to continue, Russian officials are confident Trump genuinely wants to rekindle ties if he can get a political window of opportunity in Washington.

That opening seems to be narrowing, however, as evidenced by a litany of events on Aug. 21. Microsoft Corp. said that morning it had shut down websites created by hackers linked to the Russian military to mimic conservative think tanks critical of Russia. Hours after that news broke, the U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctioned owners of six Russian ships for violating international prohibitions against doing business with North Korea.

That afternoon, the U.S. Senate Banking and Foreign Relations committees held simultaneous hearings at which lawmakers from both parties expressed frustration that the Trump administration hasn’t acted more strongly against Putin’s government. Senator John Kennedy, a Louisiana Republican, asked Treasury officials how Russia’s economy could be “brought to its knees.” With that kind of talk, it’s hard to see how things can get much better between the White House and the Kremlin. —With Margaret Talev

BOTTOM LINE - Putin visited Berlin for his first bilateral meeting with Merkel in Germany since 2014, perhaps heralding a thaw between the two countries.


Macron's BLOW to NATO amid plans to 'team up' with Russia's defence

FRENCH President Emmanuel Macron has urged European states to work with Russia and construct new security architecture, in a bid to strengthen defence capabilities within the European Union.

By Latifa Yedroudj
PUBLISHED: 19:16, Thu, Aug 30, 2018 | UPDATED: 19:46, Thu, Aug 30, 2018


Mr Macron advocated Europe's ability to defend its strategic interests and defence capabilities (Image: GETTY)

On Thursday, Mr Macron told a joint news conference in Helsinki the EU must rebuild European security architecture and "reconsider" relations with Russia, as well as pursue "strategic relations" with Turkey and other neighbouring countries.

The French President said: "We discussed many issues, including trans-Atlantic ties and relations with Russia,

"We want Europe to have strategic and defense autonomy to rebuild European security architecture in a broad sense, like I said several months ago in St. Petersburg, and there is the need to reconsider our relations with Russia."

"This wider Europe should build its security architecture with the powers, which are on its border, and the great nations, which share history with us."

Mr Macron has urged the EU to develop its own defence capabilities, in addition to its current alliance with NATO.

In July, US President Donald Trump threatened to pull out of NATO if member states fail to increase military spending.

His announcement wreaked havoc amongst member states, who expressed concerns over how they will deal with Russia if Washington were to withdraw from the alliance.

Mr Macron told the news conference: “It is in our interest for the EU to have a strategic relationship with Turkey as well as with Russia that brings stability, that will in the long term and bring more strength and coherency.

"I think that on matters like cybersecurity, defence, strategic relationships, we could envisage the outlines of a new relationship between Russia and the EU which is coherent with the direction Europe is headed in.

"Stability in the whole region is in our interest."

The French President added the EU's relations with Russia must be "brought up to date".

He declared hopes to see a shift in Russia's stance towards the Minsk accords - which aims to bring peace to eastern Ukraine - before establishing any partnership with Moscow.

Finnish President Sauli Niinston said: "Russia wants closer economic ties with Europe. But we can't do that while the Ukraine question remains open."

The European Union needs a strategic relationship with Turkey, including in defence matters, and should modernise its post-cold war relations with Russia, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday.



French President Emmanuel Macron urges Europe to engage with Turkey and Russia on security issues

PUBLISHED : Thursday, 30 August, 2018, 6:09pm
UPDATED : Thursday, 30 August, 2018, 6:09pm

The European Union needs a strategic relationship with Turkey, including in defence matters, and should modernise its post-cold war relations with Russia, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday.

Macron is a strong advocate for a Europe that is able to defend its strategic interests and financial independence and respond to new global economic and defence situation brought on by Donald Trump’s presidency in the United States.

He has sought to improve relations with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, although his efforts have been complicated by allegations of Russian meddling in elections from the United States to France and a nerve agent attack in Britain.

“It is in our interest for the EU to have a strategic relationship with Turkey as well as with Russia that brings stability, that will in the long term and bring more strength and coherency,” Macron said in a news conference in Helsinki alongside Finnish President Sauli Niinisto.

He said the EU’s relations with Russia needed to be “brought up to date”, using the Italian word aggiornamento.
“I think that on matters like cybersecurity, defence, strategic relationships, we could envisage the outlines of a new relationship between Russia and the EU which is coherent with the direction Europe is headed in,” Macron said. “Stability in the whole region is in our interest.”



Macron: Europe needs to team up with Russia to build new security architecture

August 30, 12:41

European countries should build a new security architecture on the continent together with Russia, French President Emmanuel Macron said.


HELSINKI, August 30. /TASS/.

European countries should build a new security architecture on the continent together with Russia, French President Emmanuel Macron told a joint news conference with his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinisto on Thursday.

"We discussed many issues, including trans-Atlantic ties and relations with Russia," Macron said. "We want Europe to have strategic and defense autonomy to rebuild European security architecture in a broad sense, like I said several months ago in St. Petersburg, and there is the need to reconsider our relations with Russia."

"This wider Europe should build its security architecture with the powers, which are on its border, and the great nations, which share history with us," the French leader said.


France Calls On EU To Not Rely On U.S. Defense, Reach Out To Russia

August 28, 2018 02:55 GMT



French President Emmanuel Macron (file photo)

French President Emmanuel Macron is calling on the European Union to boost military cooperation and stop relying on the United States for defense while reaching out to Russia to develop a "strategic partnership."

In an address to French ambassadors on August 27, Macron appeared to leave behind his efforts in the last year to develop joint policies with U.S. President Donald Trump and instead criticized Trump for being an "unreliable" partner and "turning his back" on the "multilaterism" built by Western powers since World War II with such actions as pulling out of the global climate change agreement and Iran's nuclear deal.

The 40-year-old French president said he would put forward new proposals in the coming months for the EU to boost defense cooperation, as well as talks with Russia on their security relationship.

"Europe can no longer rely on the United States for its security. It is up to us to guarantee European security, and therefore European sovereignty," Macron told an audience of some 250 diplomats, lawmakers, and international relations experts.

Although the did not call for any break with NATO, the U.S.-led military alliance that has been the foundation of Western European security since World War II, Macron called for Europe to build a "strategic partnership" with Russia, despite differences with the Kremlin over Ukraine, Syria and other issues.

He qualified his call for talks with Russia, however, by saying Moscow must first make progress on putting an end to the conflict between the Ukrainian government and Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Macron said he envisions a "revision of the European architecture of defense and security" as a result of "renewed dialogue on cybersecurity, chemical weapons, conventional weaponry, territorial conflicts, space security, the protection of the polar zones -- in particular with Russia."

New Geopolitical Realities

Macron's remarks follow a similar call for increased EU defense cooperation last week by German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, who has said Europe should "take an equal share of the responsibility" and "form a counterweight" to Washington in the world as Europe-U.S. relations cool.

"Obviously, it irritates us when President Trump describes Europe as an enemy of the U.S.A in the same breath as Russia and China, or calls NATO into question almost as a throwaway remark," Maas told a gathering of Romanian diplomats in Bucharest on August 27.

"It seems absurd that we in the European Union have to worry about reacting to U.S. tariffs that are justified on 'national security grounds'," Maas said, but he said this "absurdity" may simply reflect new geopolitical realities.

"'America First' was a wake-up call. Our answer to that must be: 'Europe United!,'" Maas said.

France and Germany have both backed the idea of a small joint European response force over the last year, and have announced plans to develop a fighter jet together.

While Macron's call for more European defense cooperation may resonate with Germany it is not clear whether newer members of the bloc in Eastern Europe will go along.

With the exceptions of France and Britain, all other European members of NATO have lived under the nuclear umbrella provided by the United States since World War II.

That NATO alliance with the U.S. has been especially important to newer members like Poland and the Baltic states, which have called for an increased NATO presence in their countries since Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014.

Since taking office, Trump has vacillated between criticizing NATO and pledging his commitment to the alliance at the same time he has been putting pressure on European allies to increase their defense spending to at least 2 percent of their economic output..

Many of the eastern bloc members already meet that goal. Trump has singled Germany out for criticism for not meeting the goal, though Berlin has announced plans to increase its military spending to 1.5 percent of gross domestic product by 2025.

A spokesperson for EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said that the EU has already taken "decisive steps" to build up European security and defense in recent years, including the development of a joint defense fund and a new planning cell for EU military missions around the world.

In November, EU countries officially launched a new era in defense cooperation with a program of joint military investment and project development. Twenty-three of the EU's 28 member nations signed up to the process, known as permanent structured cooperation, or PESCO.

With reporting by AFP, dpa, and AP

[Ryan Ruck]

I'm about ready to say piss on 90% of old Europe.

We should be focusing on the New Europe of the Baltic states, Poland, and the Scandinavian nations. The Baltic states and Poland understand what living under the heel of Communism is like and the Scandinavians are showing a lot of promise in realizing the threat from Russia.

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France carries out rare simulation of nuclear deterrent strike

Reuters
February 6, 2019

The mission comes as Paris looks to ensure its long-term nuclear dissuasion program, with Europe increasingly worried about security as tensions rise between Washington and Moscow.


Pierre J. / Flickr.com Pierre J. / Flickr.com

France conducted a rare simulation of a nuclear deterrent mission, its armed forces ministry said on Tuesday, following reports that the United States plans to exit a nuclear arms control pact with Russia. The 11-hour mission, which included refueling, tested all phases of an attack involving a Rafale warplane, Reuters reports.

"These real strikes are scheduled in the life of the weapons' system," French air force spokesman Colonel Cyrille Duvivier said.

"They are carried out at fairly regular intervals, but remain rare because the real missile, without its warhead, is fired."

Read alsoKlimkin: By quitting INF treaty, Russia starts another arms race, but Ukraine will respond with dignity It did not say when the test was carried out, and officials declined to say how often they take place. The mission comes as Paris looks to ensure its long-term nuclear dissuasion program, with Europe increasingly worried about security as tensions rise between Washington and Moscow.

France spends about EUR 3.5 billion annually on maintaining its 300-strong submarine and air nuclear weapons stockpile. It plans to modernize its capacity to spend EUR 5 billion a year by 2020.

The simulation comes after Russia suspended the Cold War-era Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty following the United States' announcement it would withdraw from the pact, accusing Moscow of violations.